president`scolumn - Westminster College

Transcription

president`scolumn - Westminster College
PRESIDENT’SCOLUMN
Dear Member of the Westminster Community,
J
ane and I want to thank all of you who joined us for the inaugural activities as we embarked
on our global journey together to shape Westminster into the ideal liberal arts college for
the 21st century. Jane and I are thrilled to be a part of the transformation that awaits us all in
the coming years. I assure you we will never take your trust and confidence for granted.
We pride ourselves at Westminster on developing leaders of character in a global community,
and I believe our approach to a liberal arts education provides the ideal context for this
metamorphosis to take place. Our liberal arts education educates students for a lifetime of
learning and service, not simply training them for their first job. Our liberal arts education
lays a broad and solid foundation so students will think critically and creatively about a
range of issues facing our society today and in the future. Our liberal education challenges
students to find connections in the midst of disciplinary distinctions and supports their
search for understanding.
This kind of education is liberating in a sense because it seeks to free students to be
thoughtful individuals capable of leading in the larger community and encourages
them to reach beyond the classroom to connect academic ideas to the world in which
they will serve and lead. Here at Westminster, we are turning education inside out,
connecting classrooms in Coulter Science Center to classrooms all around campus,
in the Fulton community, and in the world.
This active and dynamic process must also be global. Here in America’s heartland
we have created that global community, and in this setting, we are able to experience
firsthand the challenges and opportunities of world citizenship that our students will face
beyond The Columns.
At Westminster, we see leadership not as an organizational position or role but a way of
being in the world. Our mission is to prepare men and women who will step forward and
make a difference in their families, neighborhoods, communities, and vocations. Just as our
graduates have done for over 150 years, this new generation will shoulder the responsibility
of making the world a better place for others.
Here in this community, developing leaders in a global community applies not only to
students, but characterizes each individual’s pursuit of personal and professional growth.
Here everyone strives to make a difference in the lives of others, and I am inspired each day
by our faculty, staff, and students who step up to make our world a better place to live.
With them, I am on this leadership journey. I intend to develop as a strategic leader, learning
how to coordinate our excellent educational programs with the all-important resources that
will help us achieve greatness as a College. Just like everyone else, I will develop through
formal study—reading and conferences—but most importantly, through experience and
reflection—connecting ideas and action. All members of this Westminster community—
trustees, alumni, faculty, staff, and students—will be my teachers. I welcome their
encouragement and candid feedback.
I am eager to be the kind of President that Westminster College deserves.
George B. Forsythe, Ph.D.
President, Westminster College
Contents
Fal l 2008
Features
12
Living the Mission
President Barney Forsythe takes the next step in his educational journey.
20
Community Immersion
First Lady Jane Forsythe shares her passions for family and Westminster.
24
Classrooms Without Walls
From the healing arts, to environmental preservation, to foreign policy…from Fulton, to DC to Swaziland – Westminster students are learning by doing.
28
Alumni Weekend 2008
Westminster celebrated another year of reunions, good friends and memories.
12
20
24
In every issue...
3
Campus News
30
Class Notes
36
Wedding Album new!
38
Baby Blue Jays new!
40
In Loving Memory
44
Last Impression new!
28
Leadership Magazine • Fall 2008
Leadership is published twice a year
Submit suggestions and comments to: [email protected]
If you are interested in advertising in Leadership please contact the
Office of Development at (573) 592-5370
Kris Lensmeyer, Executive Director of Alumni and College Relations
Rob Crouse, Director of College Relations
Melanie Barger, Alumni and College Relations Coordinator
Jeni Whittington, Alumni and College Relations Coordinator
Dale Ley III, Designer
On the cover: President Dr. George B. Forsythe, Westminster College
by John McKeith, photographer. For more information, see story on page 12.
www.wes tmins t er -mo.edu
CAMPUSNEWS
WESTMINSTER ONE OF
NATION’S MOST
INTERESTING SCHOOLS
WESTMINSTER EARNS BEST
W
hen prospective students
pick up the 2008 How To Get
Into College Guide, they learn
that Westminster has been
selected as one of the 372
Most Interesting Schools in
America.
MIDWESTERN COLLEGE RECOGNITION AGAIN
W
estminster College is once again
one of the best colleges and universities in the
Midwest, according to The Princeton Review.
The New York-based education services company selected
Westminster as one of the 159 institutions it recommends
in its “Best in the Midwest” section on its website feature
2009 Best Colleges: Region by Region.
Researchers at Newsweek
magazine and Kaplan’s, the
foremost educational service
company in the world, compiled the list
based on academic strengths, student
body profiles and specialty programs.
In the profile on Westminster at www.PrincetonReview.com,
The Princeton Review describes
“...emphasis on an active and the college environment at
engaged style of learning...” Westminster in this way:
“ Westminster encourages
students to think for themselves, draw conclusions…and
change their minds. Through engaging college-wide learning
goals, students experiment with ideas, raise questions and
critically examine alternatives. That philosophy is just one
reason that Westminster offers a unique environment
for learning.”
U.S.News & World Report has listed
Westminster as one of the top 160
National Liberal Arts Colleges in the
United States.
Other positive assets of Westminster emphasized by
The Princeton Review include: “emphasis on an active
and engaged style of learning”…“campus that is warm,
welcoming and active”…“graduates who have mastered the
skills that employers want and society needs.”
PRIZE WINNING AUTHOR
Final selections are made on meeting the highest standards
for academic excellence in the region and enthusiastic
student responses to anonymous surveys.
“Best in the Midwest” honorees are colleges and universities
from the states of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan,
Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota and Wisconsin.
The Princeton Review has also named Westminster as the
only Missouri private institution to make the Top Ten list of
America’s Best Value Colleges.
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Leadership FALL 2008
SHARES THOUGHTS WITH STUDENTS
P
rize winning author Elizabeth D. Samet
came to campus this spring to share her thoughts
on “Interdisciplinary Education During a Time of
War,” which focused on the integrative experience and the
importance of reflection during the undergraduate or
cadet experience.
Samet is best known for her book, Soldier’s Heart: Reading
Literature Through Peace and War at West Point (2007),
which was named New York Times Notable Book of the
Year and one of USA Today’s 10 Books of the Year.
She has been a Professor in the Department of English at the
United States Military Academy at West Point since 1997.
es
WESTMINSTER EARNS TOP 50
Best American College by Forbes.com
W
estminster College joins Princeton,
Harvard, Amherst, Stanford and other elite
educational institutions on the list of the 50
Best American Colleges for 2008 by Forbes magazine. The
only Missouri college or university named to the Top Fifty,
Westminster was ranked 39th.
This is the first ranking ever by conducted by Forbes and
will be an annual list. The report ranks 569 undergraduate
institutions on the quality of the education they provide
and how much their students achieve.
“This new research emphasizes educational processes and
outcomes as opposed to input measures used in other
studies. Forbes has advanced the national conversation
on educational quality. We have always known that
what students think of their courses and instructors is
important. At Westminster, we pride ourselves on excelling
in these areas. This study truly stresses what we believe is
important here–that educational processes and student
learning matter,” says Dr. George B. Forsythe, President of
Westminster.
Twenty-five percent of the ranking is based on seven million
student evaluations on courses and instructors. Another
twenty-five percent of the ranking depends on how many
of the school’s alumni, adjusted for enrollment, are listed
among the notable people in Who’s Who in America.
“Westminster has always been proud of our graduates who
are committed to the Westminster mission, leading lives of
success, significance, and service,” says President Forsythe.
ica’s
Amer
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“We have many alumni who are recognized as exceptional
leaders of character in their communities so it is no surprise
that a significant percentage of Westminster alumni are
recognized in Who’s Who in America. At Westminster, our
alumni are our credentials.”
The other half of the ranking is based equally on three
factors: the percentage of students graduating in four years;
the number of students or faculty, adjusted for enrollment,
who have won nationally competitive awards such as
Rhodes Scholarships or Nobel Prizes; and the average
amount of student debt at graduation held by those who
borrowed.
According to Forbes, the best school in the nation this year
is Princeton University, followed closely by the California
Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Swarthmore
College, Williams College and the U.S. Military Academy
at West Point. Other Missouri schools and their rankings
include Washington University-146; William Jewell-249;
University of Missouri-264; Drury University-304; Truman
State University-445; Missouri State-471; St. Louis
University-473; Missouri Science and Technology at
Rolla-517; and UMKC-539.
Forbes is an American publishing and media company
which publishes a bi-weekly national business magazine.
The magazine is well known for its lists such as the Forbes
400 list of richest Americans. Forbes’ list of America’s
Best Colleges 2008 can be found on their web site at
www.forbes.com/colleges.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
3
CAMPUSNEWS
Making Something Old
New Again
W
hen changes in NCAA basketball regulations
made it necessary for Westminster to change the basketball
floor at the Historic Gymnasium, Matt Mitchell, Director
of Athletics and Men’s Basketball Coach, had a brainstorm. Since the
gym floor had to be stripped and painted, the timing was perfect to
replace the old bleachers, which had been used by Westminster sports
fans for years. These aging bleachers did not meet OSAA standards and
were close to becoming inoperational.
“
However, Coach Mitchell noticed the wood on the bleachers that they
were taking down was still in great shape. He came up with the idea
of making something old into something new. The original bleacher
wood would be ideal material to build
left gum, handles, new lockers for the men’s and women’s
locker rooms.
We
labels and signs from
the company in place
for authenticity.
After conferring with Football Coach John
Welty, the two came up with a design they
felt would be appropriate, and the work
began. Coach Mitchell did the lion’s share
with Coach Welty and Women’s Basketball
Coach Tracey Braden helping. The results are beautiful, all wood, openfaced lockers with benches in front for seating and “cubbies” below for
storing items. The men’s lockers are equipped with hooks, and the
women’s lockers are equipped with rods. The entire project took seven
days to complete with Mitchell working from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Coach
Braden and her father put the finishing touches on the lockers.
“
In addition, one of the alumni donated money for carpet in the locker
rooms to complete the makeover.
“I enjoyed doing this project immensely,” says Coach Mitchell. “And I
worked hard to make certain people would still recognize these as bleachers
that had been transformed. We left gum, handles, labels and signs from
the company in place for authenticity.”
The Athletic Department plans to put one-foot commemorative
sections of the bleachers on sale to the general public to raise
money for maintenance of the new bleachers in the years ahead.
Minimum donation for the commemorative sections is $50. Those
interested in purchasing this piece of Westminster history from the
Historic Gym should contact Matt Mitchell at 573-592-5301 or
[email protected].
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Leadership FALL 2008
and this was only the second time
for the Historic Gym. The whole
process began in early June and was
completed July 26.
HARDWOODS
SPORT NEW NAME
W
hen the NCAA made
a basketball rule change
that moved the three
point shot line for men from 19.9”
to 20.8”, that set in motion an entire
makeover of the Historic Gym on the
Westminster campus, bringing several
major improvements that were long
overdue.
New motorized bleachers have now
replaced the 60-plus year old ones
which had become inoperable and
were not handicapped accessible.
However, the most noticeable change
in the building is the beautiful new
gym floor finish. Fifteen layers of
varnish had been brushed on the floor
over the past 25 years and all of that had
to be stripped off. Then the floor was
sanded down to the bare wood, two
new coats of finish put on, followed
by painting and then two more coats
of finish.
Now the new floor has been named
for Henry “Hank” Iba, class of ’27 who
was an all-state basketball, football and
baseball player at Westminster before
going on to coach Oklahoma State
University to two national basketball
titles and the U.S. Olympics basketball
team to two gold medals. He is also
a member of the Basketball Hall of
Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of
Fame.
Under the new floor design, a large
“W” replaces the Blue Jay mascot
that was previously center court and
“Westminster College” is emblazoned
on the sidelines with “Blue Jays”
appearing on the baselines.
All floor work was completed by
Charles Luebbert Hardwood Floors,
Inc. of Jefferson City.
Gym floors can be sanded down five
times in their lifetime, according
to Athletic Director Matt Mitchell,
BETA HOUSE – TRADITION
GETS A MAKEOVER
M
embers of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity
moved into a new house in August to kick off
the 2008-09 school year. While the exterior
mirrors the previous house, the new 18,000 square foot
interior features a significantly different design and will
provide rooms for 40 actives, a kitchen and dining room,
social and study space, a house director’s apartment and a
chapter room.
The Alpha Delta Chapter of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity was
established at Westminster College in 1868, and holds the
distinction of being the oldest fraternity in continuous
operation west of the Mississippi River. The previous
Beta House was constructed in 1927 and rebuilt after fire
destruction in 1946. The architect for the new house was
Bob Cunningham of Cunningham & Associates and the
contractor was S.M. Wilson.
The Betas are planning a dedication celebration during
Alumni Weekend 2009, April 24-26.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
5
CAMPUSNEWS
Former British Prime Minister
Visits Westminster
Sir John Major became the fourth Prime Minister of Great
Britain to visit Westminster College on May 6.
A
rriving on Priest Field
by helicopter, Major toured
t h e Wi nsto n Chu rc h i l l
Memorial and Library in the United
States, interacted with Professor Kurt
Jefferson’s history class and ate lunch
with college officials before returning
to St. Louis for a reception and dinner
that evening.
The evening event at the Saint Louis
Women’s Club honored Major with
the Churchill Medal in recognition
of his years of outstanding leadership
and public service. The medal was
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Leadership FALL 2008
presented by the Board of Governors
of The Winston Churchill Memorial
and Library in the United States.
Following the presentation, Major
delivered a speech re-imagining the
famous Iron Curtain speech given by
Sir Winston Churchill at Westminster
in 1946.
Major became Prime Minister in 1990
following the resignation of Margaret
Thatcher and held the position until
Tony Blair replaced him in 1997.
NOTED CHURCHILL AUTHOR
DELIVERED KEMPER LECTURE
D
r. Christopher Catherwood, noted Churchill author
and Archives Fellow at Churchill College, Cambridge, came to
Westminster this spring to deliver the 2008 Kemper Lecture.
The topic for his lecture was “Winston Churchill and the Creation of
Modern Iraq.” Following the lecture, Catherwood autographed his
book, Churchill’s Folly: Winston Churchill and the Creation of Iraq.
Catherwood, a Key Supervisor in History at Homerton College
Cambridge, is currently finishing a sympathetic biography of Churchill
entitled Churchill: The True Story.
Established in 1979 by a grant from the Crosby Kemper Foundation, the
Crosby Kemper Lectureship provides lectures by authorities on British
history or Sir Winston Churchill at the Winston Churchill Memorial and
Library in the United States at Westminster College. The lectureship is
under the auspices of the British Institute of the United States and the
Winston Churchill Memorial and Library.
QUAD
EXPANDS
TO HOUSE GROWING ENROLLMENTS
T
he West minster Fre sh man
experience has been enhanced with
a wonderful new addition anchoring the
north end of The Quad. The new North Hall
freshman dorm stands where Robertson Dining
Hall was located previously.
North Hall joins Scott, Gage, Rice and Marquess
Halls on The Quad, making it possible to
house 270 freshmen together. Because The
Quad is considered a quintessential part of
the Westminster freshman experience, college
officials are glad that North Hall will allow all
freshmen to live together once again.
North Hall Lounge
The new hall features nine new living suites with 70 beds and a spacious laundry room. Each suite consists of four double
bedrooms and a bathroom. Two single bedrooms are available for resident assistants.
One of the unique features of the new hall is the central commons area, which includes a fireplace, large-screen television
with gaming hook ups, plenty of soft seating, a large deck and balcony, a public kitchen with a stove, refrigerator and
icemaker and a small study room. The lounge was furnished by Jay ’03 and Christine (McCaul) ’03 Howard of IO Metro.
This area will be used for student programs and as a place where all freshmen living in The Quad can congregate. A large
outdoor courtyard has been designed to allow another place for Quad residents to congregate and enjoy fellowship.
North Hall is a project of Gould Evans Architects of Kansas City and contractor Reinhardt/Wilson of St. Louis.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
7
CAMPUSNEWS
con g r at ulat ions
class of 2 0 0 8
T
he 172 graduating Westminster seniors
received a double dose of inspiration from Westminster
alumni Michael Kim ’87 and Rev. Charles D. Black ’66 at
the graduation exercises held in Champ Auditorium May 3.
Rev. Black reminded graduates of their responsibility to
contribute to our society in his morning baccalaureate
address entitled “Clothed in Power.” He is Associate Pastor
for Community Ministries at the First Presbyterian Church
in Atlanta, GA and is a true example of living the Westminster
mission. He serves on numerous service boards and agencies
to strengthen outreach to the homeless, foster children, exoffenders and those with HIV and AIDS. He has conducted
extensive mission work in Haiti, Jamaica, Africa and the
Middle East.
As the afternoon commencement speaker, Kim encouraged
the graduates to appreciate the advantages they received from
a Westminster education and to pursue fields in life that they
have a passion to explore. Kim is the anchor for ESPNEWS,
the 24-hour sports news network for ESPN and a contributor
to ESPN SportsCenter. His father, Peter Kim, was a respected
Westminster professor for many years.
Photos ( from top left, clockwise): Graduates line up for the Commencement
processional; Andrew Chambers and Jenn Sanders were named Seniors of the Year
by the Alumni Association; Looking forward to a bright future; Sharing a laugh with
lifelong friends; Commencement speaker Michael Kim ’87; Dr. Perry congratulates
the Class of 2008; Senior Class President Leila Kekhia presents Associate Professor
Bob Hoerber ’75 with the Patricia Kline Liebling Westminster Parents Association
Outstanding Faculty Award; President Forsythe challenges graduates to lead lives of
success, significance and service; Baccalaureate speaker Rev. Charles Black ’66; The
Class of 2008 gathers at Westminster Hall for a group photo.
4
8
Leadership FALL
SUMMER
2008 2008
WESTMINSTER COMMUNITY
L E A R N S F RO M E AC H OTHER
WESTMINSTER STUDENTS HELP
T about everything from the economics of
S
he Westminster community learned
wind energy to facebook’s contributions to
globalization when more than 100 students from
17 different departments participated in the first
ever Westminster Undergraduate Scholars Forum
this spring.
Classes were suspended so students, faculty, staff,
and even some alumni and trustees could come
together to learn from the presenters in a formal
way about some of the great undergraduate
research that is taking place on our campus.
This celebration of scholarly achievement
featured a combination of paper presentations,
poster presentations, multi-media presentations
and creative performances. The events were
moderated by Westminster faculty, staff, alumni
and friends.
TORNADO RAVAGED SISTER SCHOOL
enators of the Westminster College
Student Government Association sent
a $500 donation to Union University in Jackson, TN,
after seventeen of the university’s nineteen buildings
were destroyed by a series of tornadoes last February.
The Student Senate Resolution for the donation was
sponsored by seniors Joe Bowmaster of Milo, MO
and Justin Cave of Overland Park, KS.
Union University, a four year institution with 3,300
students, suffered an estimated $40 million in damages
and 50 students were injured when the devastating
series of tornadoes passed through the Tennessee
Valley area. Eighty percent of the campus dormitories
were left unlivable by the winds of between 166-200
mph. The dormitories that housed the three Student
Commons were completely destroyed.
The Westminster student contribution will help to
build a new Student Commons at the university.
STUDENTS BRING
SHAKESPEARE TO FULTON
Robert Davis from Hertville, MO, and senior Justin Cave from
W Overland Park, KS, came up with the idea ,ofjunior
trying to put on a Shakespearean play to reinforce the arts side of a
hen an ambitious pair of students
Westminster’s liberal arts education, they probably had no idea that it would turn into a community wide project.
Their production of “Julia Caesar: A Retelling of William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar,” was taken on by the Westminster
Student Government Association and The Callaway Arts Council and the modern day adaptation was rehearsed and
received four performances at the Historic Fulton Theatre this spring. A cast of 21 student and community members and
over 30 crew members assembled the highly successful production. Davis directed the production and Cave assumed the
role of producer.
This project sparked another creative benefit as Westminster students also pitched in to help with the on-going renovation
of the Historic Fulton Theatre, the main project of The Callaway Arts Council.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
9
CAMPUSNEWS
F if t e e n B lu e J ay S t ud e n t - At h l e t e s
Make the Grade
Fifteen Westminster College student-athletes have been inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College
Athlete Honor Society.
To be eligible for induction a student-athlete must earn a letter in a varsity intercollegiate sport, achieve at least junior
academic standing, compile at least a 3.4 cumulative grade point average by the time of selection, and receive the
endorsement of the head coach and chapter advisor.
Westminster’s chapter, the Missouri Alpha Chapter, was established in 2002. Since that time, 90 student-athletes have
been inducted.
2008 Chi Alpha Sigma Inductees:
10
Student-Athelete
Year
Ty Cochran Heather Collums Mike Crawford Mythokozisi Dlamini Stephanie Gordon Elizabeth Jansen
Chad Lane Zhenia Marova Neil McCutcheon Josh Ray Mike Silver
Buddy Sodemann
Brian Turntine Jason Warncke Lindsey Woodland Jr. Basketball Jr. Basketball
Jr. Basketball Jr. Soccer Sr. Golf Jr. Volleyball Sr. Football Jr. Tennis Jr. Football Jr. Tennis Jr. Baseball
Jr. Basketball Jr. Football Jr. Basketball Jr. Golf Leadership fall 2008
Sport
City, State
High School
St. Louis, MOVianney
Bartlesville, OK
Bartlesville
Jefferson City, MO
Jefferson City
Manzini, Swaziland
UWC
Kirkwood, MO
Kirkwood
Bonnots Mill, MO
Fatima
Perryville, MO
St. Vincent
Desnogorsk, Russia
UWC
Springdale, ARGreen Forest
West Plains, MO
West Plains
Florissant, MO
McCluer North
Chesterfield, MO
Parkway West
Sullivan, MO
Sullivan
St. Peters, MO
Francis Howell Central
Jefferson City, MO
Jefferson City
Jones and Buxton
N am ed 2007-08 Athletes of the Year
Although Meaghan Jones and Andrew Buxton
completed their athletic eligibility during the
2007-08 soccer and basketball seasons, the honors
continue to come in. Jones and Buxton have been
named Westminster College Female and Male
Athletes of the Year for 2007-08.
Jones, a senior midfielder from Pacific, Missouri
(Pacific High School), is a Dean’s List student and
a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, who graduated
with a degree in Chemistry. She started in all
16 women’s soccer matches during the 2007
season, and led the team in assists (9) and gamewinning goals (2). Jones earned all-conference
and academic all-conference honors in each of
her four seasons and concluded her career with a
school-record 33 assists.
Buxton, a 6-3 senior guard from Wildwood, Missouri (Lafayette High School), is a Dean’s List student and a member of
Chi Alpha Sigma, who graduated with a degree in Business Administration. He was named to the all-conference men’s
basketball first team as a senior. Buxton also was a two-time conference player of the week and a D3 Hoops Team of the
Week recipient, who led Westminster with averages of 15.9 points and 5.1 rebounds a game during the 2007-08 men’s
basketball season. Buxton concluded his career 12th on the school’s scoring chart with 1,093 points, becoming just the
16th Blue Jay male to surpass the 1,000-point plateau in the 93-year history of men’s basketball.
Sports Shorts…
Follow these stories, your favorite teams and
more on the World Wide Web at:
www.westminster-mo.edu
W E S T M I N S TER A TH L ET I C D E P A RT M E N T
LAUNCHES CROSS COUNTRY
Two new sports programs have been added back to the 2008-09
Blue Jay roster – men’s and women’s cross country.
The new cross country coach, Dave Tobey, brings over 25 years
of experience coaching high school and college cross country and
track to the job. Most recently, he coached boys cross country
at Parkway West High School in St. Louis where he compiled a
winning record, won a pair of conference titles and coached an
individual state champion. He also held coaching positions at
Missouri State University and Kickapoo and Central high schools.
Shoot for 2
Both the Westminster men’s soccer and men’s
basketball squads tied for second in league play
and qualified for conference tournament play…
Athletes Give Back
Both Westminster student-athletes, through the
leadership of the Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee, took an active role in community
service in 2007- 08…
Westminster Volleys for Grand Slam
The 2008 Blue Jay men’s tennis squad won its
third consecutive conference championship and
eighth title in nine years…
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
11
UNTITLEDA
Journey
Presidency
to the
A Lifetime of Teachable Moments
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Leadership fall 2008
I
n 1971, young U.S. Army Lieutenant George B. Forsythe was assigned to the
Berlin Brigade and lived with his wife Jane and their first child in the shadow
of the Berlin Wall. In one of life’s supreme ironies, as he tells it: “Never in
our wildest imagination could we have anticipated that we would be standing
in Fulton, Missouri, 37 years later, once again in the shadow of The Wall, no
longer the symbol of tyranny but of freedom’s victory over oppression.”
Now he has assumed his duties as President of the College
where Winston Churchill first described the Iron Curtain
descending in 1946—Westminster College, the home of
Breakthrough, a sculpture designed from sections of the
Berlin Wall.
Whatever the twist of fate that brought the Forsythes
to Fulton, on August 23, 2008, “Barney,” as he is fondly
known by everyone on campus, joined the new freshman
class in their traditional walk through The Columns and
then returned to Champ Auditorium for the installation
ceremony that would officially begin his new educational
journey as the 20th President of Westminster College. As
he told the Westminster community at that ceremony, “If
we are to live the Westminster experience fully, we cannot
stand still—we must be evolving as individuals and as a
campus community. Together we will make the journey of
transformation meaningful and memorable.”
Reaching this moment has truly been an evolving journey
for President Forsythe. But that is part of his personal
philosophy. He believes every life experience…whether
good or bad…is a teachable moment and those teachable
moments have shaped his personal and professional life.
He definitely had a head start on becoming the consummate
professional he is today with his first role model right in his
own household. His father, General George I. Forsythe,
was a country boy from Montana who rose to great heights
in his military career, yet never lost his humility, down-toearth personality, sense of humor, or compassion for people.
As Barney describes him, “he could light up a room with his
charisma and he never knew a stranger.”
Barney recalls one life changing event for the Forsythe
family when he was starting his own military career as a
Second Lieutenant in the Army. His father called him and
asked, “If you had the power to change the Army, what
would you and your contemporaries want it to be?” The
question was not a rhetorical one. His father had received
the order from General Westmoreland that President Nixon
had placed him in charge of forming and organizing the all
volunteer Army.
Photo: President Forsythe with Freshman Respondants John Truemper (left) and
Gabie Caddell begin their journey together at the Columns.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
13
This lesson in leadership…learning from the troops who
are actually on the ground---was not lost on Barney. As
Westminster’s President, he exerts a tremendous effort in
spite of his full schedule to seek advice from faculty, staff,
and students and stay in touch.
to leave Westminster prepared to lead wherever they find
themselves. He led troops in the U.S. Army. He taught
courses in leadership during his years at West Point.
He developed the leadership program for the Military
Academy in Bangladesh and led the international team that
developed and established the National Military Academy
in Afghanistan.
Other famous leaders President Forsythe particularly
admires are Churchill, Marshall and Eisenhower. All three
share Barney’s military background; yet he is drawn to He lives the mission of Westminster to create a global
them for different reasons. Certainly, Churchill is a natural, community where students can study and live prepared to
considering his longtime connection to Westminster and adapt and succeed anywhere in the world. He is the avid
the highest level of decision making he was compelled to student, sitting around a table with domestic students
make—decisions
that
to learn about the cultures,
shaped the future of
histories, and habits of their
the world. Couple that
international counterparts from
with his determination
66 different countries. Recently,
to succeed in spite of
he and his wife Jane helped
seemingly insurmountable
Barney’s chief translator (when
odds sometimes, and
he was in Afghanistan) and his
this makes Churchill a
family to leave their war-torn
truly worthy role model.
country and settle in America.
Marshall stands as another
The Forsythe’s welcomed Sardar
great leader of world policy
Sherzad, his wife and their three
and possessed the vision
children into their own home
to literally remake the
for four months, helping them
world map following the
emotionally and financially to
Photo: Barney & Jane share their passion for a global commuinty while
Second World War with
make the transition into their
helping an Afghan family get established in the U.S.
the Marshall Plan.
own home in Fulton and helping
Sardar find a job.
However,
Bar ney ’s
admiration for Dwight
Although he was not a Greek
Ei senhower i s even
in college, President Forsythe
more telling because it is
understands what an important
rooted in an ability that
role the Greek system plays
Barney has mastered
in Westminster campus life.
himself. Eisenhower had
He believes strongly in Greek
the capability to bring
life’s ability to build character.
disparate people together
Although college Greek life
to support a common cause and get the job done. This offers a new, exciting, and more independent life for
is a talent that Barney has honed to perfection as Dean of students, making the transition in a controlled environment
Faculty at Westminster and now uses quite effectively as means students can secure the guidance and feedback they
President.
need to be successful, happy, and adjusted.
“If we are to live the
Westminster experience fully, we
cannot stand still—we must be
evolving as individuals and as a
campus community.”
In addition, President Forsythe brings a multitude of
other gifts to his administration. In a school where
leadership development is not just a catch phrase but a
mission, President Forsythe has a lifetime of experience
that he can draw on to ensure students remain on track
14
Leadership fall 2008
President Forsythe has also always been deeply involved in
the community of Fulton and is a top role model for the
Westminster way of civic involvement and community
service. “I see Westminster as a center of intellectual
vibrance in our community as well as being one of the
Photo: President Forsythe takes time to visit with students.
most important businesses in town.” Forsythe is a member
of the Callaway Chamber of Commerce and the Fulton
Development Corporation Board.
While he has heavyweight academic credentials, President
Forsythe is also an athlete and enjoys following all
Westminster sports. He was a Division I recruited athlete
in indoor and outdoor track as well as cross country. He
was a four-time heptagonal champion in the Army-Navy
Ivy League and his mile relay team took second in the East
and qualified to compete in the NCAA championship. He
used to have a personal passion for squash, but as he puts it,
“now that my knees have given out, I’ve discovered golf.”
procedures since he had served as Dean of Faculty for several
years. Second, they had a candidate who had already fallen
in love with Westminster and was ready to carry its banner
forward with a passion into the future. More importantly,
by appointing President Forsythe as interim president for a
series of months, they had the opportunity to observe how
he handled the daily responsibilities and challenges of being
the President of Westminster. Obviously, he passed with
flying colors since the Board of Trustees voted to appoint
him as President.
It only takes a few minutes to recognize that the College
has received a “twofer” as well with the new President. Jane
Forsythe is definitely a full
partner in the President’s
professional and personal
life. The Forsythes are
a team. They actually
have known each other
since high school and
socialized in the same
circles, dating off and on
during those years in Hawaii where President Forsythe’s
father was stationed. In the second part of his junior year,
they went on a double date to prom, but not with each
other. Jane was the date of Barney’s buddy.
“I see Westminster as a center of
intellectual vibrance in our community
as well as being one of the most
important businesses in town.”
He reads widely, ranging
from history and historical
fiction to non fiction
an d
contemporar y
commentary. His favorite
book is Once an Eagle
and his latest reading
adventures have been I Am
Charlotte Simmons: A Novel to Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s
Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time.
His musical tastes have changed over the years from folk and
beach music to classical and jazz. He and Jane like to dance
and appreciate good food and great wine. In fact, Barney’s
idea of the perfect evening is sitting around a dining room
table with good friends and good spirits.
By selecting President Forsythe as the new leader of
Westminster, the Board of Trustees received several added
luxuries that most presidential search committees never
enjoy. First of all, they had a candidate with a comprehensive
grasp of Westminster’s mission, objectives, policies, and
It was only when Barney returned to Hawaii for Christmas
vacation during his first year at West Point that their
relationship took a more serious turn. He was going to a
holiday party that a West Point friend was throwing on the
North Beach of Oahu. He stopped at a stoplight and saw
Jane, her mother, and her grandmother in the car next to
him. He had not seen her in 18 months, but fate evidently
played a role in bringing them together because Jane, her
mother, and grandmother had been stuck in an elevator at
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
15
barney’s bio
a store in downtown Honolulu or they
would never have been sitting at that
stoplight.
So Barney changes his route and
follows them to Jane’s house. In her
driveway, he invited her to the beach
party, and her grandmother advises
her not to go…that this is no way for
a young man to ask for a date. Jane’s
mother intercedes and says: “Mother,
this is George and Betsy Forsythe’s
son.” Jane agrees to go to the party,
and that night Barney falls in love
with her.
Dr. George B. (Barney) Forsythe
was appointed the 20th President of
Westminster College in February 2008.
He joined the College in 2005 as Senior
Vice President of the College and Dean
of Faculty following retirement from the
U.S. Army in the grade of Brigadier
General after 35 years of commissioned
service. Prior to joining the Westminster
community, he served at the U.S. Military
Academy as the Vice Dean for Education
for nine years.
President Forsythe’s scholarly
achievements comprise over forty
publications and presentations, including
co-authorship of the book Practical
Intelligence in Everyday Life, and he has
extensive consulting experience in the
areas of higher education and leadership
development. He was also involved
in the development of the leadership
program for the Military Academy
in Bangladesh and leadership of the
international team that developed the
concept plan for the National Military
Academy of Afghanistan.
16
16
Leadership
Leadership fall
fall 2008
2008
However, as he tells it, “it took her
another two and a half years to come
originally. But circumstances made
him the right person at the right time
in Westminster’s history to assume
this role.
As he described the educational
journey he has started at his installation
ceremony to the incoming class of new
students: “With you, I am on a leader
development journey. You see, I believe
that learning should characterize
our entire approach to our common
pursuit of excellence, and I pledge to
lead by example as a learner. Over the
past ten months, I have discovered
how challenging this job is. I know
I will be developing as a strategic
leader, learning how to coordinate
“I believe that learning should characterize our entire
approach to our common pursuit of excellence, and I
pledge to lead by example as a learner.”
to the same conclusion.” The couple
was married in June of 1970, right after
Barney graduated from West Point.
One of Barney’s favorite plays is
Shakespeare’s Henry V. Considering
the turns his life has taken the past
year, the parallels with the play are
unmistakable. No one including
Henry himself dreamed that he would
ever become king. The chain of
circumstances and events of the day
brought him to that role. However,
once he assumed the office, he
accomplished what generations of
his ancestors had been unable to
do—unify the crowns of England
and France and bring England to
greater glory.
Barney Forsythe probably never
dreamed he would become President
of Westminster when he came here
our excellent educational programs
with the all-important resources that
will help us achieve greatness as a
college. Just like you, I will develop
through formal study—reading and
conferences—but most importantly,
through experience and reflection—
connecting ideas and actions. I expect
all members of the Westminster
community will be my teachers; I
welcome your encouragement and
your candid feedback. I am eager to be
the kind of President that Westminster
deserves.
Those who know and work with
President Forsythe are pleased that he
has chosen to continue his journey of
teachable moments here. Under his
leadership, Westminster will continue
to provide the quality experiences and
education for which we are known
and have been nationally recognized.
N E W W E S T M I N S TER P RE S I D E N T
Joins New Students On Their Global Journey
A
packed house of Westminster
community members, representatives from
Missouri colleges and universities, family
members, and new students gathered in
Champ Auditorium August 23 to watch as Chairman of
the Westminster Board of Trustees Ron Winney placed
the presidential medal around the neck of Dr. George B.
Forsythe, making him the 20th President of Westminster
Col l ege. President
Forsythe had requested
that his Inauguration
b e comb ined w ith
Convocation so that as
new president he and the
new class of Westminster
students could begin their
global journey together.
President Forsythe received a standing ovation both before
and after his address in a huge outpouring of support from
the Westminster community and its friends.
Longtime Forsythe friend Dan Kauffman delivered the
installation address before Forsythe took the podium.
Others in the platform party were John Comerford, Dean
of Students; George Wolf, Dean of Enrollment Services;
Brad Sheppard, College Chaplain; and Rev. Marshall
Crossnoe, pastor of
President Forsythe’s
church, St. Albans
of Fulton.
“I accept the stewardship of
Westminster College and pledge to
you my full measure of devotion to
this great and historic institution.”
“I accept the stewardship of Westminster College and
pledge to you my full measure of devotion to this great and
historic institution,” President Forsythe told the crowd
in his address. “Jane and I are thrilled to be part of the
transformation that awaits us all in the coming years. Thank
you for your trust and confidence. We will never take it for
granted. Working together, we will transform Westminster
into the ideal liberal arts college for the 21st century.”
President Forsythe’s
son Bryant and his
wife Margaret were
also in attendance.
Before the ceremony, President Forsythe joined the new
students in walking through The Columns, a long-standing
historic tradition for the opening of the new academic year
at Westminster.
Following the ceremony, all joined President and Mrs.
Forsythe for a community dinner celebration at the Mueller
Leadership Hall.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
17
JANE
FORSYTHE
— A NEW FIRST LADY
AND NUMBER TWO
CHEERLEADER
I
f you hear the new First Lady
of Westminster Jane Forsythe call
President Forsythe “Darb,” don’t
be surprised…even though it has
absolutely nothing to do with his
real name.
The nickname has stuck from the
couple’s first meeting back in
September of 1963. Jane was riding
one of the buses that transported
military children from the base to
the schools in downtown Honolulu,
Hawaii, on her first day as a new
freshman. One of the other children
getting on Jane’s bus said to everyone,
“Have you met the new boy, Darby?”
When the buses arrived at the switching
station, students were sorted out and
taken to their individual schools and
Jane and Barney were put on the same
bus where they actually met for the
first time. However, Jane never forgot
that slip of the tongue by a girl who
didn’t know Barney’s name, and the
nickname caught on over the years as
the couple’s private joke.
For years, the two of them ran in the
same social circles at school with
a group of another dozen students
with similar interests. Both of them
came from military families. Jane’s
father was an Army JAG officer, and
18
Leadership fall 2008
they moved around a great deal.
Fortunately, Jane loved moving and
enjoys meeting new people. Therefore,
it was no problem for her to transition
from being an Army child to being an
Army wife when she married Barney.
But she was never content to only be
a stay at home wife and mother. She
has always been deeply immersed
in community, church, and school
activities and that has not changed.
Jane and Barney are very involved in
the activities of Westminster College,
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, and the
city of Fulton.
Jane Forsythe was born in Nuremberg,
Germany; however, her father’s first
assignment was in Berlin in 1947. As a
“I’ve already had the
opportunity to meet so
many fascinating people…
all passionate about
Westminster and its future.”
child, Jane also enjoyed living at West
Point and Washington, D.C., when her
father worked in the Pentagon.
W hen Bar n e y f i r st c am e to
Westminster to attend Dr. Lamkin’s
inauguration in 2000, Jane was
struck by the caring, small campus
environment, but she never thought
they would see the campus again.
Barney was still on active duty and
all their family and friends lived on
the East Coast so a move didn’t seem
plausible at the time.
Now she can’t imagine being anyplace
else and is very excited to see how
Westminster has grown. However,
she never envisioned being First Lady
anymore than Barney envisioned
being President. Jane is pleased to be
living in the “Prez Res” as she calls it.
“It’s a grand house…designed well for
entertaining…and it’s starting to feel
like home,” she says.
“Westminster truly is a family,” says
Jane as she recalls fond memories
of one of the first events the couple
attended with members of the staff
when Barney was appointed Interim
President. The two of them were
invited to join the employees of the
Plant Operations division, and as she
put it, “it was a marvelous evening…
we got to know them, their children,
their parents, and their grandparents.”
Jane and Barney’s own family are a
great source of joy for them, and Jane
recently spent an extended period
of time in New York helping out her
daughter Jenny and getting to know
her new grandson. Jane describes
their two children Jenny and Bryant
“as introverted as Barney and I are
extroverted.”
Nevertheless, both
children inherited their parent’s love
for learning and civic involvement.
“It makes for some lively political
discussions around the table,”
Jane chuckles.
Their daughter Jenny is married with
two sons Gavin, age 14 and Graham,
8 months. Her husband Frank is a floor
manager for an Ace Hardware store in
New York. Jenny works as a professional
librarian for the Souteastern New York
Library Resource Council. Their son
Bryant lives on the opposite coast in
Eugene, Oregon. An environmental
studies major in college, he and
his wife Margaret both work for
Natura, a company that makes organic
products.
Barney and she share many of the
same likes. She enjoys fine Italian
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
19
wines (a taste she acquired from her
brother). She likes to sit around the
dinner table with friends and family
over good food and drink and converse
on the topics of the day. She is an avid
reader who enjoys mysteries, historical
novels, and memoirs. So when the
couple moved to Fulton, Jane. Alaina
Havers, and former First Lady Shari
Lamkin started a book club of about a
dozen members.
Although the couple might have
thought they would live out their lives
with family and friends on the East
Coast, the allure of Westminster that
attracts so many has garnered two
more permanent fans.
“Westminster is such a special place,”
Jane says. “It has the academic mindset
of a big school with a small town
family environment. It makes you feel
like you are part of something exciting
and dynamic…yet comfortable and
familiar. And the love and care of
the faculty and staff for the students
beyond the classroom is remarkable.”
As the new First Lady of Westminster,
Jane has been surprised by how much
interaction Barney and she have with
the alumni. “At West Point, the alumni
“Westminster is such a
special place. It has the
academic mindset of a big
school with a small town
family environment.”
come to you. Here at Westminster
we go out to them. The outreach is
incredible and far reaching…all over
the United States. But I love it. I’ve
already had the opportunity to meet
so many fascinating people…all
passionate about Westminster and
its future.”
Jane Forsythe sees her role as First
Lady as being the Number Two public
cheerleader for the College and making
Westminster feel “like a gracious,
hospitable place to those who visit and
a great living environment for those
who are a part of our community.”
She is fulfilling both responsibilities
admirably.
When the Board of Trustees made
Barney Forsythe the new President,
Westminster received a bargain–two
for the price of one. Anyone who
attends a Westminster event or
meeting finds out instantly what those
in the Westminster community already
know: the Forsythes are a team. Both
of them believe in the Westminster
experience deeply and that belief is
shared everywhere they go.
DIFFERENCE
EVERY GIFT MAKES A
www.westminster-mo.edu/giving
1/2 Page Ad
“Why am I
still
here? Because the
college just gets better and better!
And still in need of funds to maintain
the
quality
that hundreds of
Westminster
alums,
friends
experienced
have
parents
over
and
the
years themselves!”
-Pat Kirby
Assistant to the Vice President
of Institutional Advancement
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WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
21
Internships at Westminster College
offer unique opportunities to extend
learning beyond the classroom
and into the professional work
environment. Westminster students
receive a practical perspective and
invaluable world experience and
at the same time, they are earning
academic credit. That explains why
over 65 percent of all Westminster
students participate in the work-learn
experience of an internship during
their years at the College. This summer
they enjoyed a wide range of internship
experiences all over the world.
Psychiatric Research
in Action
One of those fascinating internships
was right in Westminster’s back yard.
Ilia Bailey from Little Rock, Arkansas,
(above) Rachelle Wilson rolled her sleeves up and passed on her appreciation of art to children
during her internship at the University of Missouri. (below) Jordan Pauluhn experienced the close
knit community of Westminster alumni during his DC internship at the Nationals vs Cardinals game.
“The files and patients that I get to read and hear about go
beyond any psychology class. These are real life cases
with real people who face serious consequences and
miraculous recovery.”
worked as a research assistant at the
Fulton State Hospital, helping several
research teams to validate information
from medical records, complete
coding in databases, and review data
sets in files for anomalies. She also
attended weekly meetings with all the
research team who presented updated
reports to staff and psychiatrists of
patients’ progress.
“The Fulton State Hospital is unique
because it has the largest Forensic
Center and the only maximum
security facility in the Midwest,”
says Bailey. “The files and patients
that I got to read and hear about go
beyond any psychology class. These
are real life cases with real people
22
Leadership fall 2008
who face serious consequences and
miraculous recovery.”
Museum Management
& Programs
In n ear by Col u m b ia , R ac h el l e
Wilson from St. Louis, Missouri,
spent the summer interning at the
University of Missouri Museum of
Art and Archaeology, working with
the museum educator, Dr. Cathy
Callaway. Her responsibilities
were vast and so was the amount
she learned. She worked with the
children’s program, the healing arts
therapy program for the elderly, and
the docents, creating docent guides,
revising their manual, and giving tours.
She helped take down and install new
exhibits and clean and store artifacts
and prints. She made labels for the
shows on display, tagged items that
were selected for exhibition with the
curators, scanned items for the database
with the communications specialist.
She also worked with the registrar,
maintaining the complete inventory of
the museum, figuring monetary values
on items for insurance, and handling
paperwork and shipping for loan items
and new acquisitions.
Public Relations
vs. Grad School
On the western side of the state,
Jake Marsh from Sikeston, Missouri,
spent the summer working in
Kansas City as a Regional Public
Affairs Coordinator for the Muscular
Dystrophy Association.
As Jake
summarized the summer, “sometimes
it is more important to figure out
what you don’t want to do. After this
internship I realized that I cannot
survive in a profession that does not
give me full creative license.” This
internship actually helped Jake decide
to take his career path in a different
direction. Thanks to having the
opportunity to be out in the work
world, Jake has decided he does not
want to work in public relations as
he originally thought and instead he
will go to graduate school and pursue
a career as an English professor and
writer. It was also his “chance to test
drive a new lifestyle in a big city”
and he discovered he loved living in
Kansas City.
Think-Tank Central
In seeking out of state internships,
Westminster students often focus on
Washington, D.C. where a vast number
of opportunities are available. Jordan
Pauluhn from Overland, Missouri,
spent a remarkable summer working on
foreign policy research at the Heritage
Foundation, a well known conservative
think tank in Washington, D.C. His
research centered on the United
Nations, human rights organizations,
the international criminal court, the
International Court of Justice, and
other international bodies and treaties.
“The internship has opened my eyes
to the world of public policy and the
amount of research that goes into
even the smallest amount of literature
and education,” says Pauluhn. “It has
furthered the sound understanding I
have of research and strengthened my
commitment to personal values.”
Soil Hydrology
Moving westward, Jason Williams
from Jamaica completed a soil
science internship at Cedar Creek,
a research site run by the University
of Minnesota in Bethel, Minnesota.
Cedar Creek has a great reputation for
ecological research with many papers
cited in biology text books written at
the research center. Many ecologists
study at Cedar Creek because it is
“The internship has opened
my eyes to the world of
public policy and the amount
of research that goes into
even the smallest amount of
literature and education.”
one of the only places where three
biomes meet. Biomes are the world’s
major communities, classified
according to the predominant
vegetation and characterized by
adaptations of organisms to that
particular environment.
(above) Jason Williams put the “dirt” in the dirt during his research
internship in soil hydrology at the University of Minnesota at Bethel.
Ja so n wa s i nvol ved i n t h e so i l
hydrology project which attempts to
answer how fast contaminants move
through the sandy soil at Cedar Creek
and what role plants play in taking
these contaminants out of the soil
and eventually ground water. He
introduced the contaminants to the 15
plots, took measurements to assess
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
23
the effects, and maintained the plots.
“This internship has really inspired me
to want to learn more about research
of this type and graduate school has
now moved much further up on my
priority list,” says Williams. In fact, he
has now initiated his own independent
project on the topic of “Obtaining the
Maximum Amount of Biomass from
Prairie for Biofuels Using the Least
Amount of Nitrogen.”
Only YOU Can
Prevent Forest Fires
Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Andrew
Daniels from Quincy, Illinois, had a
great summer experience working in
fire education in California for the
Student Conservation Association in
cooperation with the Burro of Land
Management. His major job was to
do house assessments for forest fire
education projects. He used a data
collecting software called Red Zone
that collects data firefighters can use
in case of a forest fire. He worked in
the two remote towns of Potrero and
Julian where previous threatening fires
had been located. He also worked in
the Cal Fire booth at the San Diego
Fair, helped with the Forest Service/
BLM booth at the Temecula Wine
and Balloon Festival and participated
in a Chipping Day sponsored by the
Greater Fire Safe Council of San
Diego County.
Socioeconomic Policy
Yet Westminster internships are not
just confined to the United States. In
“This experience has reconfirmed my belief that I want to
work with people, for people, and for the betterment of
their communities, no matter where they are located.”
(above) Andrew Daniels helps to make fighting California forest fires safer.
24
Leadership fall 2008
(above) Alicia Ware was in awe of the
contrast between the landscape in Swaziland
and it’s natural wildlife with her native
Tulsa, OK.
keeping with the global environment
fostered at Westminster and the large
number of international students in
the student body (almost 13 percent),
many students seek internships in
other countries. This summer Felipe
Cordero worked at the Centro de
Estudios para el Desarrollo (Center
of Studies for Development), a
public policy research center in
his home country of Chile. His
experiences were wide ranging. He
handled the invitations of high profile
business people and politicians to a
conference and Christian Democrat
representatives and senators to a
public-private dialogue project. He
took notes at a national encounter of
mayors and city councilors and coauthored an official report about it. He
also updated the news section of the
center’s web site. He traveled around
the country interviewing cooperatives
of fishermen, farmers, and transport
services to assess existing policies
and to discover what new policies
are needed to benefit them. “This
internship allowed me to immerse
myself again in the socio economic
reality of my country and made me
want to work for the betterment of my
people,” says Cordero, who has lived
abroad since 2003. “Professionally,
the internship allowed me to learn
to innovate and improvise and has
given me the confidence to talk to
important people in Chilean politics.
This experience has reconfirmed my
belief that I want to work with people,
for people, and for the betterment of
their communities, no matter where
they are located.”
Conservation & Preservation
Sithembile Mabila obtained an
internship at the Environmental
Education Center of the Mlawula
Nature Reserve in her home of
Swaziland, which researches and
implements techniques to conserve
and preserve nature in the area. Mabila
worked with endangered species and
medicinal species, growing them and
finding out their uses in the traditional
medicine sector from the community’s
herbalists. She was also involved
in researching the pollution of the
Mlawula River that passes through
the reserve by the nearby sugar cane
association and railway station. She has
also been involved in the development
of a better waste management plan for
the nature reserve.
Take a Friend Home
Other Westminster students have spent
part of their break, getting out into the
world through Westminster’s exciting
Take A Friend Home program. Under
this program, domestic students spend
three weeks of their summer break
visiting the homes of international
octopus, traditional barbecues, and
snorkeling…all customary activities
in this island paradise.
The Wild–Up Close
Thulani Shabangu took his friend
Alicia Ware from Tulsa, Oklahoma,
to his home country of Swaziland.
He took her to his former high school
where they taught two science classes.
Schools there are much better attended
by males than females because most
girls never finish because of the high
Westminster students are not just challenged as scholars,
but challenged to make a difference in the world
during college and then later in life.
students with their transportation
cost paid by the College. Then during
school year breaks, the international
students go home with the domestic
students. Members of the Westminster
College Board of Trustees make this
cross-cultural learning experience
possible.
Island Living
This year one of the pairs was
Matthias McCurren from Jefferson
City, Missouri, and Mohamed Shakir
who exposed Matthias to a variety of
experiences in The Maldives. They
visited eight islands in different parts
of the country. Matthias spent a week
at Mohamed’s house, experiencing the
food and culture of the urban city of
Malé. The second week they went to
the Archipelago and lived among the
people with a local family friend of
Mohamed, exploring historical sites
and island life. Matthias was treated to
several diving trips so he could see the
underwater beauty that The Maldives
is renowned to possess. He enjoyed
palm tree climbing, spear fishing for
pregnancy rate in the country and
because they are expected to look
after their younger siblings at home
while the male children become the
breadwinners. Many young people
care for themselves in the country
because they have lost both their
parents due to AIDS. He also brought
her to his UWC college, Waterford.
Probably the most entertaining part
of the visit for Alicia was the trip to
the game reserve in the wild. She had
never seen a white rhino, black rhino,
elephant, lion, or pumba (warthog)
in the wild. He also made certain
she spent a day or two with relatives
of his with different ways of life and
status so she would have a variety of
experiences.
Tradition & Culture
Eyob Demeke took his friend Rickey
McBride from Little Rock, Arkansas, to
his home country of Ethiopia. Rickey
immediately noticed that Ethiopia
is not the stereotypical picture of
poverty that Western people envision.
As he describes it, “It is rich in culture,
Alicia Ware (right) spent time with Thulani
Shabangu’s relatives during her Take a Friend
Home experience in Swaziland.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
25
tradition and well over two thousand
years worth of history.” While there,
Rickey visited the huge capital city
of Addis Ababa where Eyob lives,
the village of Ejere, the Jema River,
and the cities of Dessie, Lalibela (the
holiest city in Ethiopia with its eleven
rock hung churches from the 13th
century), and Gondor (which is the
site of the beautiful palaces of 16th
century emperors). While there,
Rickey learned gursha, the art of
hand feeding, where someone feeds
another person, and many words in
the Ethiopian national language of
Ambaric such as conjo (delicious)
and baka (satisfied). He discovered
the greeting is usually done with
kisses and a conversation and that to
welcome guests, Ethiopians will kill a
sheep, make a large bread called dabo,
and hold a traditional coffee ceremony
(since coffee is originally from
Ethiopia). He found that Ethiopian
food is served with the national flat
bread, injera, and this bread is used
as the utensil to eat the other food.
“Ethiopians are very generous people,”
says Rickey. “I was very impressed
with the country and wouldn’t mind
making the trip again.”
Desert Farming
Ian Blackmon from Sorento, Illinois,
visited Hassaan Sipra and his family in
Muscat, Oman. Getting to Oman was
half the battle because the two were
constantly being held up at security
check points as Hassaan was singled
out. Once they reached Muscat,
the door opened to a wealth of new
experiences for Ian. He was taken to
luxurious resorts, a large scale farming
operation, a movie, the Al Hoota
Cave, the desert, the Grand Mosque,
and the Green Mountain, just to name
a few. Ian made some observations
26
Leadership fall 2008
(above) Hassaan Sipra (left) took Ian Blackmon (right) home to Muscat, Oman and introduced him
to many cultural experiences.
on his journey: Gas is cheaper than
water there. Most of the houses are
surrounded by a low wall with little
grass. Everything closes for a siesta at
1 p.m. to miss the hottest part of the
day and allow for afternoon prayers
and then opens up until much later
than in America. Buildings must meet
the architectural standards set by the
Sultan so most of them are dazzling
white and in the medieval style. The
souq or market street is entirely
covered, narrow, and jammed with
shops, and one should never make
eye contact with a merchant unless a
purchase is intended. Farm crops are
much more varied than in America.
Movie theatres serve wonderful
caramel corn and have reserved seats
(he saw Iron Man). Tea is served
with an abundance of sugar and milk.
Mascat has its own Wal Mart knock-off
called Lulu’s. He experienced firsthand
the famous Omani hospitality, which
includes eating Omani style…with
the right hand out of a huge platter.
“I think it is particularly apt that I
happened to be reading Stranger in a
Strange Land as I remember my time in
Oman,” says Blackmon. “Not because
Oman is a strange land but because I
can relate to the sort of understanding
and knowledge it takes to ‘grok’ the
customs and habits of other peoples.
Each pair of Westminster students that
learns a little more about each other’s
cultures are two more people likely
to be the stellar world citizens we are
going to need in the coming decades.”
Ian’s words truly summarize the
Westminster goal for its students…
preparing “the stellar world citizens”
needed for the future. Westminster
i s n o t j u st ab o u t t h e e x c i t i ng
discoveries inside the classroom, but
those outside as well. Westminster
students are not just challenged as
scholars, but challenged to make a
difference in the world during college
and then later in life. Having global
experiences through internships and
programs like Take A Friend Home
brings out the best in them and makes
them able to adapt and lead wherever
they find themselves when they leave
The Columns.
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ter turn g
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We
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g
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Turn your college thinking
inside out.
Inside the classroom, outside the classroom –
at Westminster College, you’ll engage in every
aspect of your college experience. This is an
active education, a whole education, enabling
you to become your very best – as a scholar,
as a leader, as an engaged citizen in a global
world. Come – get involved, try new things,
meet new people, learn and grow as never
before. Engage in a full college experience.
Inside the classroom. And out.
To learn about Westminster College,
inside and out, visit us at
www.westminster-mo.edu, or call
our Admissions Office at 1-800-475-3361.
ma
fo r
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ap y ou
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Alumni
W E E K E N D
w e s t mins t e r coll e g e ap r il 1 8 - 1 9 , 2 0 0 8 C lockwis e f r om t op l e f t :
C lass of 1 9 5 8 c e l e b r a t e s t h e i r
5 0 t h R e union
C e l e b r a t in g t h e
1 s t g r adua t in g class of wom e n
a t W e s t mins t e r
R e union
C lass of 1 9 8 8
J ack M a r s h all ‘ 5 3 – 2 0 0 8
A lumni A c h i e v e m e n t A wa r d
S co t t
W ilson ’ 74 – 2 0 0 8 A lumni A c h i e v e m e n t
Awa r d
A nn e ( M c I n t os h ) S c h n e id e r
’ 8 5 – 2 0 0 8 R e ml e y C e n t e r A wa r d
D a v id
S t ubbs ’ 6 8 – 2 0 0 8 A lumni A c h i e v e m e n t
A wa r d
P aul K a v anau g h ’ 8 1 – 2 0 0 8
A lumni A c h i e v e m e n t A wa r d
Mark Keen
‘ 6 9 – 2 0 0 8 A lumni A c h i e v e m e n t A wa r d
P r e sid e n t F o r s y t h e add r e ss e s alumni
a t t h e sa t u r da y di N n e r
28
Leadership fall 2008
ful t on missou r i
C lockwis e f r om low e r L e f t :
D r . B ill P a r r is h and D r . A ud r e y R e ml e y
s h a r e W e s t mins t e r h is t o r y wi t h
alumni
J im B r e x l e r ‘ 74 – 2 0 0 8 A lumni
A c h i e v e m e n t A wa r d
L au r i e M c F a r land ,
Tom M c F a r land , K a t h y ( H e r v e y ) S idd e ns ,
G r e g Ric h a r d e njo y t h e i r C lass of 1 9 8 8
R e union a t A r r is P i z z a
P h o t o D ispla y
& Gall e r y Talk b y P h o t o g r ap h e r and
A lumnus D a v id S pi e lman ’ 7 2
1 0 t h A nni v e r sa r y of t h e W e s t mins t e r
Educa t ion P r o g r am – P r of e sso r L inda
A ul g u r , K im W e dd e ‘ 0 6 , A nd K a t e
S pano ‘ 0 7
D e nnis J am e s ’ 5 8 – 2 0 0 8
A lumni A wa r d of M e r i t
P r e sid e n t
F o r s y t h e v isi t s wi t h alums a t t h e
A lumni D inn e r & A uc t ion
N
early 500 alumni and
friends came back to
campus for Westminster’s
Alumni Weekend activities April 18 &
19. Although the golf tournament was
rained out and threatening weather
prompted the Saturday afternoon patio
party to be moved inside the Mueller
Leadership Hall, no one seemed to
mind and some lingered long after
the music and snacks ended to catch
up and relive the great memories of
Westminster. Everyone was excited
to be back on campus and enjoyed
touring the new dining hall, dorm and
Beta house.
Westminster historian and former
professor Bill Parrish gave a standingroom-only lecture on the differences
between the Davidson years of the 50s
and Westminster today. Attendees also
crowded in to hear the observations
of alumnus David Spielman ’72, who
chronicled life amidst the devastation
in New Orleans after Hurricane
Katrina through a photo journal.
The Alumni Achievement awards
were presented to James Brexler ’74,
Paul Kavanaugh ’81, Mark Keen ’69,
Jack Marshall ’53, David Stubbs ’68
and Scott Wilson ’74. In recognition
of service to the Westminster Alumni
Association, Dennis James ’58 received
the Alumni Award of Merit. Anne
(McIntosh) Schneider ’85 was honored
with the Remley Women’s Center
Award at a special reception on Friday
afternoon.
Attendees from the Class of 1958
were inducted into the Order of the
Golden Legion and many “Old Guard”
members returned to welcome with
them. Members of the President’s
Club were treated to a special
reception with President and Mrs.
Forsythe. The Education Association
hosted a reception to celebrate the
10th anniversary of the Education
program. The weekend also included a
special Westminster women’s exhibit, a
celebration of the 25th anniversary of
the first female graduating class at the
College, and a Sorority Brunch.
Save the Date!! April 24-26, 2009
Planning for Alumni Weekend 2009 is
already underway! Major celebrations
include the Beta House Dedication,
Delt 70th Anniversary and SAE 60th
Anniversary.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
29
ALUMNIALBUM
1
2
3
6
4
7
5
8
9
ALUMNI EVENT PHOTO ALBUM
1. Perhaps the Alumni in Northwest Arkansas knew that fellow alum David Gearhart ‘74, would be named Chancellor of the University of
Arkansas in Fayetteville, so they scheduled a gathering in Rogers, AR to celebrate! Pictured left to right are: Heather McIntire ‘95, Jane Gearhart,
David Gearhart ‘74, Laura Gentry, John “Cam” Gentry ‘87, Michelle Watson ‘88 Wright, Larry Wright and Sean Keith ‘90. As former SGA
presidents at Westminster, Keith estimated that he would succeed Gearhart as Chancellor in 2024! 2. After a hot day of golf Stuart Eastman ‘97,
Alex Curchin, Mike Reid ‘68 and Mike Grote ‘97 were recognized as the first place team at the 16th Annual Dick Ault Alumni & Friends Golf
Tournament. 3. Bob Stufflebaum ’55, Kris Lensmeyer, Executive Director of Alumni & College Relations and Trustee Ken Meyer enjoy catching
up at the Springfield event. 4. Prospective student Tyler Pagano, center, was being “rushed” hard by Kirk Johnson ‘92, Angelo Pagano ‘93, Ryan
Rendleman ‘93 and George Mahn ‘92 at the Dallas Alumni/Prospective Student Party at the Dallas Country Club, hosted by David Shuttee ‘68.
5. The active DC Alumni Club hosted several events over the summer for students interning in the area, including a Summer Fiesta with President
and Jane Forsythe. Jenna Manning ‘06, Sara Weir ‘04 DC Club President and Ryan Dillon ‘06 enjoy the event. 6. Brooke Melson ‘99 scheduled
an alumni luncheon at Chez Zee - An American Bistro in Austin, TX on March 12, 2008. Joining in the festivities, left to right, are Michael Alfultis
‘95, Stephen Swan ‘60, Daniel Diedreich (VP of Institutional Advancement), David Schaeffer ‘69, Hatsy Schaeffer, Melson, and Emily Blake ‘94.
7. Westminster alumni in East Central Florida met for a Luncheon at Antonio’s Pasta Grille in Clearwater, arranged by Jim Furner ‘64, to honor the
100 year old Beta Theta Pi Retired Housemother, Martha Kochheim. Seated, left to right, Dana Farlin ‘87 Koay, Mom Kochheim, Robert Mattei
‘79, Jim Furner ‘64, Peter Martino ‘90, and Fred Fisher, retired vice president for business affairs at Westminster. 8. Kurt Fiegley ‘73, Dala (Reuter)
Freesmeier ‘00, Susie (Gerhart) Stuerman ‘87, John Morse ‘92 and Felig Abraha ’06 celebrate the holidays at the St. Louis Gathering hosted by
Edward Jones. 9. President Forsythe and Randy Johnson’74 get a chance to meet Tony LaRussa at the Cubs/Cardinal Game in Chicago.
30
Leadership fall 2008
CLASSNOTES
1
5
2
3
1937
1969
Dr. Mark Boyer and wife Harriet
Jim Armstrong is the Editor
1950
Rex Friedman retired in June
celebrated their 65th wedding
anniversary on September 16, 2007.
Keith Williams is the President
of Good Earth Tools in Crystal
City, MO.
6
7
1953
Jack Marshall [1] received the
Settler’s Award at the 103rd Annual
Kingdom of Callaway Supper on
March 18, 2008. The award honors
those who move to Callaway County
and make a marked contribution to
the county.
1958
Bill Smith is a Director with Bell
Atlantic in Washington, DC.
1960
Gary Zellinger retired in 2003
as Vice President of Episcopal
Homes Foundation.
1965
Dr. Gary Forrest [4] received
the University of North Dakota
Alumni Achievement Award
on March 14, 2008. Forrest
is the Executive Director with
Psychotherapy Associates PC and
is a licensed clinical psychologist,
author, educator and a national
expert in drug and alcohol addiction.
Forrest has published numerous
books in the area of chemical
dependency and personality
disorders and has made appearances
on national television talking
about addictions.
32
Leadership fall 2008
4
1. Jack Marshall ‘53 receives the Settler’s Award
from Bob Wright 2. Bill ‘58 & Sabra Smith 3.
David ‘61 and Connie Ross 4. Dr. Gary Forrest
‘65 5. Jim Middleton ‘67, Dan Sheehy ‘65, John
Matherly ‘67 and Bill Scruggs ‘67 reunite for a
Beta Luncheon in Colorado. 6. Clay ‘70, Sally
and John ‘06 Logan 7. William, Abby, Sophia and
John, children of Newell ‘82 and Beth Boughton
and President of NowWhatJobs.net
Inc. in Woodstock, IL.
2008 as the Chief Planner with
Arkansas State Parks in Little
Rock, AR.
Gregg Goodner is the President
University in St. Louis, MO. He is an
Insurance Examiner with the State of
Missouri Department of Insurance.
1974
Gene Allen is the Director of
Internal Audit with The Boler
Company in Itasca, IL.
Chris Meek is a war crimes trial
was honored at the St. Louis
New England Financial’s annual
recognition banquet as the Securities
Sales Leader for 2007.
lawyer in the UN International
Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia, residing in the Hague,
Netherlands. Meek represents his
client in the Srebrenica case. Meek is
still involved in his private practice,
Meek & Battitori, in Baxter Springs,
KS.
1970
1975
of Hytrol Conveyor Company in
Jonesboro, AR.
Leonard “Fritz” Sander
Don Tomnitz was awarded
the Mexico (MO) Chamber of
Commerce’s G. Andy Runge
Ambassador Award on January 18,
2008. Tomnitz is the Vice Chairman,
President and Chief Executive
Officer of D.R. Horton Inc. in
Arlington, TX.
1972
Dr. Jim Schmuck is the Provence
Commander for Kappa Alpha Order
National Fraternity.
1973
Ted Greenhouse and his water
polo team were honored with a
Sports Achievement Award at
the 2008 Missouri Sports Hall of
Fame on February 10, 2008 at the
University Plaza Convention Center
in Springfield, MO. Greenhouse led
the men’s team to a 2007 Division
III National Championship as Head
Water Polo Coach at Lindenwood
Tim Lamkin is the Director
of Business Development with
Associates Solutions, Inc. in
Lenexa, KS.
1977
Chris Eubank is a Regional
Manager with RMTS LLC in Kansas
City, MO.
Douglas Van Camp is the
Owner/Managing Member and an
Attorney with Van Camp Law Firm
LLC in Jefferson City, MO. The
law firm concentrates in the areas
of worker’s compensation, personal
injury and divorce.
CLASS NOTES PHOTO POLICY
Photographs for the Class Notes
section of Leadership Magazine
are encouraged. Pictures must be
accompanied by a list of those in
the photo and cities and states of
residence. Emailed photos should
be taken in at least 300 dpi resolution
in tif or jpg format. Submit photos for
class notes electronically to:
[email protected]
or by mail to:
Class Notes
Office of Alumni and College Relations
Westminster College
501 Westminster Ave
Fulton, MO 65251-1299
Deadline for next issue is Dec. 8, 2008.
1978
Wesley Burns is an Investigator
with the Federal Public Defender’s
Office - Southern Illinois Division in
East St. Louis, IL.
Kerry Kimble retired from the
US Army after 30 years of service.
Kimble served for 11 years on active
duty and 19 years in the Reserves
and achieved the rank of Colonel.
Robert Kranz is the Chief
Financial Officer with B2B TV in
Los Angeles, CA.
involved in the development of ports
and special economic zones.
1985
Diane (Schulte) Lewis was
promoted to Senior Manager of
Database Operations with Maritz
Inc. She resides in Fenton MO with
her husband Alan and two daughters,
Kathleen Jean (age 11) and Elizabeth
Leslie (age 9).
1986
Jim Bowlin is the Chairman and
Attorney/Owner of Paul F.
Kavanaugh, PC in Kansas City, MO.
CEO of Keystone Mutual Insurance
Company in Chesterfield, MO.
Keystone was granted a license
on December 31, 2007 to provide
professional liability insurance for
Missouri physicians. Bowlin is
joined by four other Westminster
alumni, Dr. Jerry Kennett ‘69, Dr.
Joel Hassien ‘86, Dr. Jerry Middleton
‘59 and Dr. George Parkins ‘67, who
serve on the Board of Directors.
1983
Mark Reichman is Vice
1980
Rev. Caldwell is a Pastor with
Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in
St. Louis, MO.
1981
Paul Kavanaugh is an
Greg Harris is the Vice
President with Visitor Services at
the National Building Museum in
Washington DC.
1984
Cathy (Myers) Aubrecht has
been selected as Hononegah High
School’s (Rockton, IL) “Those
Who Excel” nominee for classroom
teaching and will become a candidate
for the statewide “Those Who
Excel Teacher of the Year Award.”
Aubrecht has been an English
Teacher at Hononegah for the past
14 years.
Karl Swanson is the Vice
President of Dubai World Company
in Moscow, Russia. The company is
President of Institutional Equity
Research with Sanders Morris Harris
in Houston, TX.
1987
Dr. Kevin Kirkpatrick is the
Owner of Image Enhancement, PC
in Albuquerque, NM. Kirkpatrick
specializes in the treatment of
all phases of hair loss and hair
restoration.
Dana (Farlin) Koay is a
Marketing Coordinator with Ross
Realty Group in Clearwater, FL.
1988
Blake Bradshaw is the OEM
Sr. Sales Manager with Honeywell
Imaging and Mobility in St. Louis, MO.
8. Case, Janie and Camille, children of Rob ‘83
and Allison Wetzel 9. Senn and Graham, Children
of Scott ‘86 and Robin Boswell 10. Lily, Katie and
Caroline, children of Oakes ‘86 and Michelle
Briscoe 11. Andrew, Elizabeth, Anna and Olivia,
children of Philip ‘88 and Erin Boeckman 12. Ben,
Abigail and Allen, children of Hal ‘90 and Kathy
Oakley 13. Avery, Andrea, Max, Griff ‘92 and Riley
Kerstine 14. John ‘93, Ann, Ray, and Zoe Fieberg
11
Stacy (Hampton) Chapman
is a History Teacher with the Long
Beach (CA) Unified School District.
1989
Heather (Triplett) Biehl
is a Vice President with BBN
Technologies in Cambridge, MA.
Biehl will establish an Intelligence
Program Office to guide the
expansion of BBN Technologies into
the intelligence community.
Bill Brock is an Agency Manager
with Allstate Insurance Company in
Raytown, MO.
Dr. Mark Taylor is the
Executive Director of Eagle’s
Nest Children’s Home in Clinton,
TN. Taylor is also Co-Founder
of Koinonia Associates, LLC, a
publishing company that publishes
books on education, Christian life,
church and similar topics.
1990
Tricia (Frerichs) Becker is a
Vice President and Senior Credit
Review Officer with Bank of America
in St. Louis, MO. Becker lives in
Imperial, MO with her husband
Tony and son, Ryan (age 6).
8
Debbie (Brandt) Lunyou owns
a CPA firm in Piedmont, MO where
she resides with her husband John
and children Michelle (age 10),
Tyler (age 6), Elaina (age 6), and
Luke (age 4).
9
Bill Truitt is a Manufacturer’s
Representative with EPM in
Macon, MO.
1991
Kevin Gore is a Partner in the
accounting firm of Baird, Kurtz &
Dobson in Tulsa, OK.
12
10
13
14
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
33
CLASSNOTES
15
16
17
Darren Kay is the Executive
Counselor with Kappa Alpha Order
National Fraternity.
18
John Soucy is the Director of the
20
Alticor in Grand Rapids, MI.
Dave Thomas is a Regional Sales
1995
1992
Dave Dillon served with the
Missouri National Guard in 2006
as an Imbedded Trainer with the
Iraqi National Police, receiving
the Combat Infantryman’s Badge.
Dillon is Vice President of Media
Relations with the Missouri Hospital
Association.
Blake Downs is a Business
1993
Carson Duchatschek is a
General Sales Manager with Koener
Distributor, Inc. in Effingham, IL.
1994
Dr. Bryan Foote is a Dentist/
Owner of Bryan G. Foote, DDS. in
Columbia, MO.
Major Todd Johnson [17]
was decorated with the Combat
Action Badge, which is awarded
to soldiers who personally engage,
or are engaged by the enemy.
Johnson is currently serving as the
Plans Officer, US Army Engineer
Leadership fall 2008
Cary Justice is an Attorney with
Paige Scott is the Senior Vice
Development Executive with
American Power Conversion Government & Education Sales
Team in West Kingston, RI. Downs
resides in Warrenton, VA with his
wife Sheri and children Sydney,
Brett and Colin.
34
Division, Gulf Region, Operation
Iraqi Freedom, Iraq.
Friends of Medicine Program with
Johns Hopkins University School of
Medicine in Baltimore, MD.
Manager with Shelter Insurance
Companies in Edmond, OK.
19
15. Charla (McIntyre) Fields ‘93 and children
Adeline and Eleanor 16. Gage and Bailey, children
of Jason ‘94 and Erin (Conlan ‘94) Gottman 17.
Major Todd Johnson ‘94 18. Heather McIntyre
‘95 and her 2 dogs 19. Jeff Arms ‘97 and Janice
Crawford 20. Aleksa and Kelby, children of Arthur
and Ardita (Maluka ‘97) Roark
President of Retail with Metcalf
Bank in Kansas City, MO.
Jon Schneider has been
elected President of the Kansas
City Security Traders Association.
Schneider is attending the Securities
Industry Institute conducted at the
Wharton School of the University
of Pennsylvania and is sponsored by
the Securities Industry and Financial
Markets Association.
1996
advisory industry for the 2007
calendar year and was awarded
the President’s Club Achievement
Award. Schaper was also promoted
to Vice President with US Bankcorp
Investments and Insurance in
Granite City, IL.
Jeff Stubbs is the Store Manager
in floor covering with SherwinWilliams Paints in Columbia, MO.
1999
Thad Stubbs is the Assistant
Provence Commander for Kappa
Alpha Order National Fraternity.
2000
Emily Alexander is the Manager
of Financial Reporting with SAVVIS,
Inc. in Town & Country, MO.
Mike Grote is the President and
Founder of Grote & Associates
(GA2), a political and governmental
affairs consulting firm, in Columbia, MO.
Michelle (Miller) Fassler is a
Vocational Specialist with Community
Alternatives in St. Louis, MO.
1997
President of Membership with the
Kansas Chamber of Commerce.
Jeff Arms [19] is a Teacher at
Diamond High School in Anchorage, AK.
Trey Davis was promoted to Vice
President of Governmental Affairs with
the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.
Serena Lowe is the Executive
Director of Health Policy with EMD
Serono, Inc. in Washington DC.
Ardita (Maluka) Roark
[20] is an Attorney with Missouri
Department of Transportation in
Jefferson City. Roark resides in Holts
Summit, MO with her husband
Aruthur and children, Aleksa Lillain
(age 3) and Kelby Maluka (age 1).
1998
Tyler Schaper [23] has been
recognized as a leader in the financial
Bob Featherston is the Vice
Jennifer (Whitaker)
Schaefer was inducted into the
SLIAC Hall of Fame between games
of a basketball doubleheader in the
Westminster Gym on February
8, 2008. While at Westminster,
Schaefer earned four varsity letters
in both volleyball and basketball
and was a three-time all-conference
performer in basketball, earning
first-team honors, while setting three
school records and finishing her
career in the top five in scoring (4th),
rebounding (3rd) and assists (3rd).
During her four years, Schaefer
collected all-league honors four
times and was a first-team selection
as a freshman, junior and senior. She
earned conference Newcomer of the
Year honors as a freshman, and was
the SLIAC Player of the Year as both
a junior and senior, when she earned
back-to-back Westminster Female
Athlete of the Year awards.
Kevin Slattery is an
Environmental Specialist and Project
Manager specializing in ecosystem
restoration with the Corps of
Engineers in St. Louis, MO.
Sean Wright is the Director of
the Pete Hanna Center with Samford
University Athletics in Birmingham, AL.
2001
Bradley Ervin is the CEO
and Chief Compliance Officer of
Overland Park Surgery Center in
Overland Park, KS.
2002
Josh Hanley is an Account
Manager with GE Capital Solutions
in St. Louis, MO.
Kristen Norton graduated
Administrator with National
Securities Corporation in
Ridgewood, NY.
in U.S. Development, from The
Heller School for Social Policy,
Brandeis University in Boston, MA.
2004
Seth Womack is a Football
Coach and Teacher at Oklahoma
Panhandle State University in
Goodwell, OK. During the summer,
Womack coached and also played
on the offensive line and defensive
line for the St. Polten Invaders in St.
Polten, Austria.
Tara Estabrooks received a
Master’s in Health Administration
from Washington University School
of Medicine and is working on an
Administrative Fellowship at the
Cleveland Clinic.
Danny Jackson graduated from
the University of Missouri School
of Medicine and is completing a
residency in OB/GYN at Columbia
Regional Hospital in Columbia, MO.
Pete Miranti is a Business
Consultant in the Law, Resources,
and Finance Sector with Bearing
Point in Washington, DC.
Dave Norman is a freelance
journalist for the paintball industry’s
leading publications, an author, and a
fiction writer. While at Westminster,
he founded the Westminster
Paintball Club. Norman lives in New
York City, NY. Visit his website at:
www.501paintballtips.com.
with a Master’s of Medical Science
in Physician Assistant Education
from St. Louis University. Norton
is an Emergency Room Physician
Assistant at Alton (IL) Memorial
Hospital.
to Branch Rental Manager with Penske
Truck Leasing in Springfield, MO.
Marshel Sheperd is the Director
Nick Staudenmyer is an
of Marketing with First American
Corporation in Orange County, CA.
2003
Shawn Ansley received
a Master’s in Applied and
Computational Mathematics from
the University of Michigan. Ansley
is the Assistant Vice President of
Quantitative Analytics with Vice
Capital Markets, Inc. in Novi, MI.
Charles Wanyama is
a Commissions Database
Stephanie Parker was promoted
2006
Devin Bell is pursuing a Doctor of
Osteopathic Medicine at Kansas
City University of Medicine and
Biosciences.
Chapin Deel is a Property
Insurance Adjuster with Farmers
Insurance in Olathe, KS.
Jared Genenbacher was
awarded the Special Education
Administrators Meeting Award
in April 2006. Genenbacher is a
Middle School Special Education
Teacher with the Francis Howell
School District in St. Charles, MO.
Ryan Hobart is the Deputy
Communications Director with the
Missouri Secretary of State.
Kristen (Leone) Jackson is an
Enrollment Services Representative
with Westminster College.
Account Executive of Business
Development with WBM Services in
Columbia, MO.
Jason Kirchner is an Auditor
with Central Bank in Jefferson City, MO.
2005
Scott Langdon is a Client
Bo Clapp is a Relationship Banking
and Business Development Assistant
with Boone County National Bank in
Columbia, MO.
Christopher Tate received
a Master’s in International
Development, with a concentration
21. Jennifer (Richter ‘97), Theron, Cate and Griffin
Teter 22. Zora, Anna & Richard ‘98 AuBuchon 23.
Tyler Schaper ‘98 24. Paige (age 5), Taylor (age 3
½), Rhona and Dwight ‘98 Ternes 25. Casey (Clark)
‘05 and daughter Taylor Borovac
Representative with Bank of Blue
Valley in Olathe, KS.
21
Beau Peterson is an Accountant
with CMC Steel, South Carolina
Division in Cayce, SC.
Serghei Prasol is an Audit
Consultant with Pricewaterhouse
Coopers Audit in Moscow, Russia.
23
22
24
25
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
35
CLASSNOTES
Eva Rader is the Elementary
Vytas Stonis is a Media Agency
Perry Fischer is the Manager at Bek’s
2007
Josh Harlow is an Associate with
Instructional Technology Coach for the
Liberty Public School District in Liberty,
MO. Rader will handle the instructional
technology for all of the nine elementary
schools in the district.
Representative with DJ MAG in Lithuania.
at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Laurence Rhodes is pursuing a
Nick Diefenbach is an Enrollment
Russell Anhalt is pursuing a law degree
Master’s in Business Administration at
Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO.
Services Representative with
Westminster College.
Elliott Schaum is a Wine
Eric Feagles is a Customer Service
Representative with Goody Goody Liquor
in Dallas, TX.
Representative with Air Wisconsin Airlines
Corporation.
Restaurant in Fulton, MO.
Axiom Strategies Political Consulting in
Kansas City, MO.
Brandi Heinrich is a Loan Review
Analyst with Central Bank in Jefferson
City, MO.
Jeremy Huelsing is a Financial
Service Representative with MetLife in
Chesterfield, MO.
save the date
Upcoming Events
Upcoming Dates At a Glance
October 17
Digger Phelps Lecture (ESPN Commentator &
Legendary Notre Dame Basketball Coach)
November 14
Missouri Contemporary Ballet at
Westminster College
November 18-19
Symposium on Democracy III - Citizenship
in the Age of Globalization
April 15
Undergraduate Scholars Forum Westminster students share their projects
and research
April 24-26
Alumni Weekend 2009
To find out more on these and other
events visit www.westminster-mo.edu
Emily Jarosz is a Tax Accountant with
Milam & Associates in Tulsa, OK.
Brad Langan is a Staff Auditor with
Williams Keepers in Columbia, MO.
Valerie Martinez is pursuing a Master’s
in International Relations at Salve Regina
University in Newport, RI.
Bambi Cheva-Isarakul is pursuing
Andrew Miller is pursuing a Master’s in
Ryan Cook is a District Manager with
Aldi in North Carolina.
Jennifer Roehrs is pursuing a Doctor
of Osteopathic Medicine at Kirksville
College of Osteopathic Medicine at
A.T. Still University in Kirksville, MO.
a Master’s in Development Studies at
the Graduate Institute for International
and Development Studies in Geneva,
Switzerland.
Paul Moen is pursuing a Master’s in
Nikolay Domashev is pursuing a
Master’s in Social Anthropology at Central
European University in Budapest, Hungary.
Phillip Morales is a Science Teacher at
Ashton Ellett is pursuing a Master’s
in History at the University of Georgia in
Athens, GA.
Business Administration at the University
of Central Oklahoma.
Vianney High School in St. Louis, MO.
Rainer Nsenki is a Business Analyst
in Revenue Management with Embarq
Corporation in Overland Park, KS.
Chris Pilarski is an Accounts Manager
with New Business Media in Oxenford,
Australia.
Elizabeth Richardson is pursuing
Amy Fluker is pursuing a Master’s in
History at the University of Mississippi in
Oxford, MS.
Stephanie Gordon is a Marketing
Representative with John Deere in
Moline, IL.
Spencer Head is a Sales/Credit Manager
a Juris Doctorate from the University of
Arkansas School of Law and a Master’s
in Environmental Law from Vermont
Law School.
Derick Heflin is a Teacher and Football
Coach with Houston (MO) Public Schools.
Ryan Veatch is a Science Teacher at
Kelly Hossenlopp is a Management
2008
Cade House is a Central US Claims
New Bloomfield (MO) High School.
Mark Alexander is a System Engineer
with Avande, Inc. in Houston, TX.
Ali Aslah is the Coordinator for
Economic Development with the Maldives
Monetary Authority in Malé, Maldives.
Rachel Becknell is an Assistant
Language Teacher with the Japan Exchange
and Teaching ( JET) Program.
Dusty Booth works in Agency
with Wells Fargo in St. Louis, MO.
Adjuster Representative with American
National Property & Casualty Company in
Springfield, MO.
Meaghan Jones is a Production
Chemist with Sigma Aldrich in St. Louis, MO.
James Kienker is pursuing a Master’s in
Philanthropic Studies at Indiana University
in Indianapolis.
Missy Kopp is an Executive Team Leader
with Target in St. Louis, MO.
Chad Lane is a District Manager with
Andrew Buxton is a Buyer of Branded
Dylan B. Schram is a Management
Shawn Campbell is pursuing a
Doctorate in Mathematics at the University
of Missouri in Columbia, MO.
Niki Carver is pursuing a Doctor of
Pharmacy at the University of MissouriKansas City School of Pharmacy.
Andrew Chambers is working in
the Rotational Development Program at
Edward Jones.
Cara Scheidt is pursuing a Master’s
in Occupational Therapy at St. Louis
University.
Westminster Book Corner
Westminster alumni continue the legacy
of learning as published authors of novels,
biographies, textbooks and more. Check out
these recent and upcoming titles:
Jim Armstrong ’69
Now What: Discovering Your New
Life and Career after 50 (2006)
Trainee with Walgreens in St. Peters, MO.
Development Program/Sales with State
Farm in Overland Park, KS.
Products with Anheuser-Busch, Inc. in
St. Louis, MO.
Divinity at Lexington Theological Seminary
in Lexington, KY.
Aldi in Saint Louis, MO.
Trainee with Enterprise Rent-A-Car in Saint
Louis, MO.
Kate Sickendick is pursuing a Juris
Doctorate at George Washington University
School of Law in Washington DC.
Dianna Townsand is a Revenue
Distribution Analyst with Unigroup, Inc. in
Fenton, MO.
Angela Lehman is an Assistant
Manager with Walgreens in Jefferson
City, MO.
Rev. Carlton Caldwell ’80
We are all Ministers, Moving
Members from Pews to
Purpose (2006)
Dr. Gary Forrest ’65
Self-Disclosure in Psychotherapy
and Recovery (in press)
Five Stars: Missouri’s Most Famous
Generals (2006), by Jim Muench
’86, was named as one of the three
best books about Missouri during
the Missouri Writers’ Guild
Conference in Columbia, MO on
April 12, 2008.
Dave Norman ’04
501 Paintball Tips, Tricks,
and Tactics (2008)
We congratuate these authors and wish them
continued success in their endevors.
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
37
BABYBLUEJAYS
FACULTY/STAFF/FRIENDS
Jeff Borengasser and wife Sarah
welcome Xavier James Borengasser on
December 14, 2007. Borengasser is the
Tennis Coach at Westminster.
Reverend Brad Sheppard and wife
Reverend Terry Kukuk adopted Jadon Issac
on November 12, 2007. They traveled to
China’s Jiangsu Province to bring Jadon
home to Mexico, MO. Reverend Sheppard
is the Chaplain at Westminster College.
Jadon is adjusting well to his new family
and hometown.
Amanda Stevens and husband Josh
welcomed Samuel Prater Stevens on May
10, 2008. Samuel joins sister Katherine.
The family resides in Fulton, MO where
Amanda is the Wellness Coordinator at
Westminster.
1972
Gary Lumsden and wife Nancy
welcomed Charles Andrew Lumsden on
January 8, 2008. The family resides in Palm
Beach, FL where Lumsden is the CEO/
Owner of Area Marketing Associates, Inc.
1992
Will Blaik and wife Sherri welcomed
Allison Katherine Blaik on July 3, 2008.
Allison joins brother Mattox. The family
resides in Oklahoma City, OK where Blaik
is an Attorney with Pritchett, Snyder & Blaik.
1993
John and Dr. Jennifer (Lang) ’94
Schissel announce the birth of Beck
James on December 12, 2007. Beck joins
brother Jake. The family resides in Little
Rock, AR where John is Vice President
of Sales with Source Inc. and Jennifer is a
Hospital Adminstrator/CEO with United
Methodist Behavioral Hospital.
1994
EJ and Melissa (Burroughs)
Karlberg announce the birth of Hansen
Dale Karlberg on March 5, 2008. EJ is a
Major in the Army and is assigned to the
41st Fires Brigade as the Brigade S3 and
38
Leadership fall 2008
will be deployed to Iraq. Melissa is a stay at
home mom.
Daniel ‘95 and Carol (Cross) Kroll
announce the birth of Evan William Kroll
on April 23, 2007. The family resides in
Parkville, MO.
Scott Stine and wife Lynn welcomed
Emma Kathleen Stine on February 5, 2008.
The family resides in Vincennes, IN where
Stine is a Physician with the Medical Center
of Vincennes.
1995
Kristin (Cope) Arnold and husband
Todd welcomed Virginia Mae Arnold on
November 15, 2007. The family resides in
Charlotte, NC.
Chet Lauck and Kerrie Liles Lauck
welcomed Chester Harris Lauck IV on June
14, 2007 in Little Rock, AR.
1996
Carey (Clemons) and Eric Bailey
Carey Wilson-Smith and husband
Scott welcomed Davis Ruston Smith on
February 5, 2008. Davis joins sister Avery
(age 3). Wilson-Smith is the Physician
Coordinator with Gastroenterology
Associates in Little Rock, AR.
2000
Blake Cogbill and wife Allison
welcomed Matthew Dunlap Cogbill on
April 14, 2008. The family resides in
Potomac Falls, VA. Cogbill is a Regional
Marketing Director with Hartford Leaders
in Wayne, PA.
2003
Julie (Slisz) and Robert ‘05 Gastler
welcomed Andrew Slisz Gastler on
February 2, 2008. The family resides in
Columbia, MO where Robert is a graduate
student in Mathematics at the University
of Missouri-Columbia and Julie is a
former Adjunct Instructor of Physics at
Westminster College.
welcomed Renn Jackson Bailey on
April 23, 2008.
2006
Kristin (Huber) Davis and husband
Daniel announce the birth of Owen Carter
Davis on January 3, 2008. Owen joins
siblings Abigail (age 7) and Emma (age 5).
The family resides in Jefferson City, MO
where Davis runs a home-based preschool.
Emmanuel Amenuvor and wife
Donna welcomed Daniel Eli Amenuvor
on January 20, 2008. The family resides
in Farmington, MN where Amenuvor
is an Applications Programmer for
Champion Air.
Jennifer (Janson) Kirby and
husband Charles welcomed Emma Leigh
Kirby on September 25, 2007. Emma
Leigh joins sister Abbey (age 2). The family
resides in Houston, TX.
1998
Bobby Mather and wife Tiffany
announce the birth of Dayton Michael
Mather on December 31, 2007. The family
resides in Edmond, OK where Mather is
an Assistant Professor at the University of
Central Oklahoma.
1999
Kolby Beich and wife Lisa announce the
birth of Bentley Potter Beich on June 11,
2008. The family resides in Houston, TX.
Bentley’s grandfather is Fritz Beich ‘69, and
great grandfather is Jack Morton ‘47.
BABY BLUEJAY PHOTO ALBUM (right)
1. Samuel Stevens 2. Virginia Arnold
3. Bently Beich 4. Jennifer (Lang) ‘94, John
‘93, Jake and Beck Schissel 5. Charles and
Gary Lumsden 6. Allison Blaik 7. Matthew
Cogbill 8. Davis and Avery Wilson-Smith
9. Evan Kroll 10. Renn Bailey 11. Andrew
Gastler 12. Hansen Karlberg 13. Emma
Kirby 14. Dayton Mather 15. Emma and
Scott ‘94 Stine 16. Xavier Borengasser
17. Daniel Amenuvor 18. Reverend Terry
Kukuk, Jadon and Reverend Brad Sheppard
2
1
3
4
5
8
6
7
10
11
9
15
12
16
13
14
17
18
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
39
WEDDINGALBUM
FACULTY/STAFF/FRIENDS
Dale Ley III [1] married Katharine
Johnson on June 7, 2008 in St. Louis, MO.
The couple resides in Columbia, MO.
Ley is the Multimedia Designer at
Westminster College.
1992
Cory Ridenhour [11] married Suzanne
Clark on October 6, 2007 in Jefferson City,
MO. The couple resides in Columbia, MO
where Ridenhour is the CEO of Ridenhour
Management Services, LLC.
1995
John PritchetT [8] married Paige
Chappell on April 19, 2008 in Austin,
TX. The wedding party included Lance
Zimmerman ’93, Kyle Newman ’93 and
Brinton Payne ’96. The couple resides in
Austin, TX where Pritchett is a Political
Director with Texas Attorney General
Greg Abbott.
1997
Trey Davis [13] married Paige Henry on
December 31, 2007. The couple resides in
Columbia, MO. Davis is the Vice President
of Governmental Affairs for the Missouri
Chamber of Commerce.
Travis Sartain [10] married Mitzi
White on April 26, 2008 in Dallas, TX. The
wedding party included Ron Buchanan ’96,
Kristen (Woodall) Howell ’96, Trey Settle
’97, Andrew Schendle ’00, Lauren Ryel
’01, Sam Smith ’01, Ryan Hataway ’02 and
Brandon Schmidt ’03. The couple resides
in Dallas, TX where Sartain is an Employee
Benefits Broker with McQueary Henry
Bowles Troy, LLP.
1998
Dena Sudar [6] married Scott
Christensen on November 24, 2008 in
Walsenburg, CO. After seven years in
the Navy and two years at Idaho National
Laboratory, Sudar is working on obtaining
a teaching license in Colorado. The couple
resides in Littleton, CO.
2000
Mark Stromblad [12] married
Melissa Box ‘01 on May 10, 2008 in
Tulsa, OK. The couple resides in St. Louis,
40
Leadership fall 2008
MO where Mark is a Sales Consultant
with Physician Sales & Service and Melissa
is an Account Executive with Musen &
Steinbach.
(Leible) Garwitz. The couple resides in
Jefferson City, MO where Muenks is the
Major Accounts Coordinator for the
News Tribune.
Laura Trimble [2] married Terrance
2006
Taylor on December 2, 2007 in Kansas City,
MO. The couple resides in Kansas City,
MO where Laura is pursuing a Master’s in
Education at Rockhurst University.
2003
Maggie O’Donnell [3] married
Michael Hofener on December 8, 2007
in Oklahoma City, OK. The wedding
party included Christine (McCaul) &
Jay Howard, Whitney (Kinnard) & Chad
Backsen, Lauren Christmann, Brett Ellis,
Lauren Humphrey, and Jordan (Bram) ’02
& Jeremy ’04 Teeple. The couple resides
in Oklahoma City where O’Donnell is
working towards a nursing degree.
Valerie Stuart [9] married Joshua
Adkins on October 13, 2007 in St. Louis,
MO. The couple resides in Arnold, MO
where Valerie is a Math Teacher at Seckman
High School.
Brennan VanMatre married Amanda
Stock on October 27, 2007 in Arch Cape,
OR. The couple resides in Columbia, MO
where VanMatre is the Owner of VanMatre
Landscape Design LLC.
2004
Ashley Hout married Ryan Alumbaugh
on June 14, 2008 in Cole Camp, MO. The
couple resides in Cole Camp, MO where
Hout is a 6th Grade Science Teacher and
Volleyball Coach for the Lone Jack (MO)
School District.
Dan Miller [5] married Sara Griffith
‘06 on March 15, 2008 in St. Louis, MO.
The wedding party included Tim Miller ’02,
Dan Dokovic, Phil Lee, Ryan Broedecker,
Jeremy Teeple, Jay Howard ’03, Eva Rader
’06, Catie Vogeding ’06 and Laura Cohen
’06. The couple resides in Brentwood,
MO where Miller is a Relationship
Manager with Regions Bank and Griffith
is a Communications Specialist with
Anheuser-Busch.
Sarah Muenks [4] married Adam
Veile on October 13, 2007 in Loose Creek,
MO. The wedding party included Kali
Wright, Brooke ( Jackson) Mahar and Blaire
Amy Hill married Josh Messerli on
October 13, 2007 in California, MO. The
couple resides in California, MO. Hill is
a Physical Education Teacher with the
Jamestown C-1 School District.
2007
Graham McGhee married Amie Dyer
on June 7, 2008 in Kansas City, MO. The
wedding party included Andrew Chambers
’08, Ryan Cook ’08, Jonathan Roop ’08
and Jeremy Huelsing. The couple resides
in Lake Tapawingo, MO. McGhee is a
Biology/Chemistry/Ecology Teacher with
Lone Jack (MO) High School, and also
coaches football and basketball.
Jessica Lankford married Josh
Moore on May 17, 2008 in Liberty, MO.
The wedding party included Josh Harlow,
Jeremy Huelsing, Ryan Cook ’08, Spencer
Head ’08, Jeremy Roop ’08, Zach Stubbs,
Lauren Daniels ’05, Jessie Prewitt ’05,
Elizabeth Rigsby ’06 and Philip Lankford
’10. The couple resides in Kansas City, MO
where Jessica is a Customer Service Sales
Representative with Cramer Inc. and Josh is
a Territory Manager with EcoLab.
Michael Stahlman [7] married Kelly
Shultz on May 24, 2008 in Columbia, MO.
The wedding party included Zack Park
’08. Stahlman is pursuing a Doctorate in
Agricultural Economics at the University of
Missouri-Columbia.
2008
Brian Matthews married Tabitha
Pitts ‘10 on May 25, 2008 in Moundville,
MO. The wedding party included Andrew
Revelle. The couple resides in Fulton, MO
where Brian is a District Manager Trainee
with Aramark and Tabitha continues her
education at Westminster.
4
3
2
1
8
5
6
7
12
9
10
11
WESTMINSTER WEDDINGS PHOTO ALBUM
1. Dale and Katharine Ley 2. Laura (Trimble) ‘00 and Terrance Taylor
3. Maggie (O’Donnell) ‘03 and Michael Hofener 4. Sarah (Muenks) ‘04 and Adam Veile
5. Dan ‘04 and Sara (Griffith) ‘06 Miller 6. Dena (Sudar) ‘98 and Scott Christensen
7. Michael ‘07 and Kelly Stahlman 8. John ‘95 and Paige Pritchett 9. Valerie (Stuart) ‘03 and Joshua Adkins
10. Travis ‘97 and Mitzi Sartain 11. Cory ‘92 and Suzanne Ridenhour
12. Mark ‘00 and Melissa (Box) ‘01 Stromblad 13. Trey ‘97 and Paige Davis
13
WWW.WESTMINSTER-MO.EDU
41
INLOVINGMEMORY
T
hey were our classmates, our friends,
brothers and sisters. Together we
remember those who shared their lives with us
and left behind hearts full of precious memories.
Robert L. Pasley ‘33 of Fulton, MO
on June 15, 2008. Pasley served in the US
Army during WWII. After service to his
country, he owned and operated Pasley
Dairy for over 25 years and was a Board
Member of the Farm Bureau and Water
District #2.
James D. Bassett ‘38 of Whittier,
CA on October 8, 2007. He was a
member of Phi Delta Theta. Bassett was
an Accountant with E. B. Manning &
Sons Beef Company until his retirement
in 1983.
John D. Covington ‘38 of Gulf
Breeze, FL on April 24, 2008. He was
a member of Beta Theta Pi. Covington
achieved the rank of Captain in the US
Army and was a retired Manager with
Pepsi-Cola .
Louis J. Linder ‘38 of Belleville, IL
on May 5, 2008. He was a member of
the Highlanders and on the swimming
team. Linder served in the US Army
under Douglas MacArthur at the invasion
of the Philippines. After serving his
country, he was a Research Chemist with
Alcoa Aluminum for 25 years and was the
Chemistry Lab Manager with Southern
Illinois University in Edwardsville, IL
for 15 years.
Harry H. Haeussler ‘40 of Los Altos,
CA on May 17, 2008. He was a member
of Kappa Alpha Order. After graduation,
he joined the US Navy and served during
WWII. Haeussler retired as a Captain in the
US Naval Reserves and then was the Owner
of K&H Bonded Plastics.
Robert F. Schroeder ‘41 of Portland,
OR on April 17, 2008. He was a member of
the Highlanders. Schroeder served in the
Marine Corps during WWII and after his
service was a contractor in several areas of
California.
Captain Theodore R. Zickos ‘42
of Sheffield, AL on January 7, 2008. He
was a member of Delta Tau Delta. Zickos
received his Navy Commission from
Notre Dame University in South Bend,
42
Leadership fall 2008
IN, served in WWII and was a Regimental
Commander at the San Diego, CA Naval
Base during the Korean War. He retired
from the Naval Reserve in 1979 with the
rank of Captain. Zickos was the Owner
of Tri-Cities Poster Advertising Company
in Sheffield, IN and was a past president
of the Sheffield Rotary Club, a Paul
Harris Fellow and a member of the
Chamber of Commerce.
William E. Backer, Jr. ‘43 of Fulton,
MO on April 5,
2008. Backer
was appointed to
the Westminster
Board of Trustees
in 1985, received
the Alumni
Bill Backer, Jr. ‘43
Achievement
Award in 1984 and the SGA Alumni Service
Award in 1999 and served on the Fulton
College Fund Board of Associates. Backer
was the Chairman of the Board of Backer’s
Potato Chip Co. In 1996, Backer opened
the Auto World Museum which showcases
over 86 rare automobiles from every decade
of the 20th century.
Robert W. Barnes ‘43 of Bella Vista,
AR on April 18, 2008. He was a member
of Beta Theta Pi and the basketball team.
Barnes served in the Marine Corps during
World War II and retired from a career in
business in 1981.
Glenn F. “Jack” Anderson Jr.
‘48 of Tulsa, OK on February 10, 2008.
He was a member of Beta Theta Pi and
the basketball team. Anderson was an
Alumni Achievement Award winner in
1984 and served on the Westminster
Board of Trustees. Anderson enlisted in
the Naval Air Force and flew Corsairs off
aircraft carriers during WWII. After serving
his country, Anderson worked in the oil
business, traded in real estate and raised
champion Palominos and giant homing
pigeons. His sons, Andy ’71 and George
’74, also attended Westminster.
Edward N. Brown II ‘48 of Sikeston,
MO on June 12, 2008. He was a member
of Phi Delta Theta. After a semester at
Westminster, Brown was recruited for the
ROTC program at the Harvard School of
Business. His education was interrupted
by service to his country in the US Navy.
Following his service, he enrolled at the
University of Missouri and later returned to
Westminster and graduated. Brown retired
in 1994 as Manager and Co-Owner of
Bertrand Cotton Co.
William C. Burton, Jr. ‘49 of Bacliff,
TX on September 25, 2007. He was a
member of the Highlanders. Burton
retired in 1986 as Vice President with
National Association of Manufacturers and
was a lifelong member of the Rotary Club
of Houston.
John F. Cannon III ‘49 of Webster
Groves, MO on May 8, 2008. He was a
member of Beta Theta Pi.
Rawle A. Alloway, Jr. ‘50 of
Cincinnati, OH on March 21, 2008. He
was a member of the Highlanders, track and
swimming teams. Alloway was a retired
pharmaceutical salesman, a Master Mason
in the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted
Masons of Ohio and a member of the
Ancient Scottish Rite.
A. Lee Booth, Jr. ‘50 of St. Louis, MO
on March 16, 2008. He was a member of
Beta Theta Pi. Lee was a proud US Navy
veteran, former owner of Webster Groves
Insurance Agency, and a member and
past president of the Webster Groves
Rotary Club.
Dean F. Weeks ‘50 of Cape Coral, FL on
December 15, 2007. He was a member of
Delta Tau Delta. Weeks served two tours
of duty in the US Navy and was a member
of the American Legion and Veterans of
Foreign Wars. Weeks was a retired Owner/
Broker of Dean F. Weeks Insurance Agency
located in Aurora, IL.
Dr. William C. Cleveland ‘51 of
Leawood, KS on June 7, 2008. He was a
member of Sigma Chi. After graduating
from Westminster, he was drafted into the
US Army and was a veteran of the Korean
War. Cleveland transferred to the US Air
Force Reserves and retired in 1986 with
a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Cleveland
completed his education at University of
Missouri-Kansas City Dental School. After
retiring from private practice, he worked
for the University of Missouri-Kansas City
Dental School as an Associate Professor.
Reverend Franc M. Guthrie ‘55 of
Columbia, MO on February 13, 2008. He
was a member of Beta Theta Pi, Omicron
Delta Kappa Honorary society, and the
Westminster Intercollegiate Debate Team.
Guthrie also served
on Westminster’s
Intra-Fraternity
Council, during which
he organized the
Christmas campaign
to deliver food to
needy families in the
community. Guthrie
graduated Summa Cum
Rev. Franc Guthrie ‘55
Laude as Valedictorian
and was awarded the Fulbright Scholarship,
which enabled him to study divinity at
St. Mary’s College in Scotland. After
graduating from Westminster, Guthrie
earned a Bachelor of Divinity from
Louisville Presbyterian Theological
Seminary in Kentucky. He received a
Presbyterian Church Board of Christian
Education Scholarship for his scholastic
record and the Drosden Trophy. Guthrie
completed a Master’s of Theology at Union
Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA.
Guthrie received the Alumni Achievement
Award in 2005. Guthrie was preceded in
death by his brother, Rev. Robert Guthrie
’41 and survived by his brother, John
Guthrie ’45, son-in-law, James Muench ’86,
and his nephew James Guthrie ’90.
John R. Gaebe ‘56 of St. Louis, MO
on February 10, 2008.
He was President of the
Alumni Council from
1982 - 84, and received the
Alumni Award of Merit
in 1986. Gaebe received
his law degree from St.
Louis University and was
John Gaebe ‘56
a Partner with the Stolar
Partnership in St. Louis, MO.
Michael A. Conine ‘59 of Vinita, OK
on December 6, 2007. He was a member of
Beta Theta Pi. Conine was a retired Leasing
Manager with Southpark Lincoln Mercury
in Tulsa, OK.
Dr. William A. Pogue ‘60 of Boise,
ID on April 25, 2008. He was a member
of the Skulls of Seven. Pogue received a
PhD in Medicine from the University of
Missouri and as a young physician joined the
Army and reached the rank of Major. After
service to his country, Pogue started his
own Family Practice which served many
people in rural and urban Idaho.
Joseph B. Rathfon ‘61 of Salem,
OR on December 27, 2007. He was a
member of the Highlanders. Rathfon was
a Mechanical Engineer and worked for
several aerospace and computer firms in San
Diego, CA. Rathfon moved to Salem, OR
in 1990 to become a Consultant with Pacific
Northwest Systems.
Dr. David L. Wilkinson of Des
Peres, MO on January 26, 2008. He
was a member of Sigma Chi. Wilkinson
served over 25 years in private practice in
neurosurgery in the St. Louis, MO area,
was past president of Missouri State Board
of Healing Arts, past treasurer of Missouri
State Medical Association and a member of
the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society.
Reverend Ronald H. Baker ‘63 of
Edwardsville, IL on July 2, 2007. Baker was
a Minister in the Edwardsville, IL area.
Willard S. Folsom ‘65 of Foster City,
CA on June 6, 2008. He was a member of
Beta Theta Pi. Folsom retired from United
Airlines after 36 years of service and was a
member of the Sports Car Club of America,
Olympic Country Club and the Coyote
Point Yacht Club.
Stephen K. Mills ‘69 of Tulsa, OK
on December 20, 2007. Mills served as
Chairman of the Board with KENCO
Engineering Company.
Zach D. Taylor, Jr. ‘69 of Oklahoma
City, OK on January 4, 2008. He was
a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
Taylor served as Executive Director of
the Association of Central Oklahoma
Government in Oklahoma City and
received the 2006 Administrator of the Year
Oklahoma Chapter Award.
Michael W. Mahanes Sr. ‘77 of
Moore, SC on May 24, 2008. He received
the Dr. E.C. Humphery Scholarship.
Mahanes was the Media Director and
Training Supervisor at MEMC Electronic
Materials Co. in Spartanburg, SC.
Daniel L. Estill ‘80 of Jefferson City,
MO on December 18, 2007. Estill worked
in Tech Support for the Jefferson City
Public School District. He was very active
in Boy Scouts of America, where he was an
Eagle Scout and attended two national and
international Jamborees.
Hamilton “Ham” M. Eubanks, Sr.
‘80 of Little Rock, AR on May 25, 2008.
He was a member of Sigma Chi. Eubanks
was a Mortgage Broker with Citypro in
Little Rock, AR.
Tamila R. (Farmer) Grimaldo ‘84 of
Manila, AR on January 12, 2008. She was a
member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Grimaldo
was an English Instructor at Arkansas
Northeastern College.
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LASTIMPRESSION
(left) SWAT team enters Coulter Science
Center. (above, from top) Stefanie Kavanagh
experiences first hand what would happen to
a student with a serious injury.
F
or 26 minutes on a rainy Wednesday morning
September 3, the Westminster community
experienced what it might be like to have a shooter
on campus as they staged a simulation to test
the College’s emergency plan. At 8:30 a.m., a
9-1-1 call went out to the Fulton authorities and the campus
emergency siren began to wail. Five minutes later, members
of the Fulton Police and Fire Departments were on the scene
at the Coulter Science Center where an actor portraying
the shooter had entered a classroom and designated six
students as injured. One minute later a SWAT team arrived
to help capture the shooter and move uninjured students
to a safe location. By the time 26 minutes had passed, the
“victims” had been taken to Callaway County Hospital and
the drill ended.
“We have spent the past year or so developing procedures
for a variety of emergency situations, and we’ve done
44
Leadership fall 2008
tabletop simulations for tornado and ice storm scenarios,”
says Westminster President Dr. Barney Forsythe. “But this
one we wanted to do live.”
The drill was considered a huge success with only minor
communications problems which are now in the process
of being fine tuned. The State Emergency Management
Agency has indicated Westminster is the first Missouri
college or university to conduct a live simulation
campus-wide.
“We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure
campus community,” says President Forsythe. “We will
continue to perform these drills as necessary to ensure our
procedures are sound and everyone knows how to respond
appropriately to emergencies.